The Indian markets are on a steady footing after a stellar start. The Nifty 50 breached 26,100 levels intra-day while the Sensex surged past the 85,206 mark, up more than 780 points, powered by strong moves in tech, banking, FMCG, and industrial counters.
Here is a look at the top movers and shakers at this hour-
Midday Market Movers
Infosys
Infosys share price rose 4% after the company announced that its promoters and promoter group, including Nandan Nilekani and Sudha Murty are not going to participate in the Rs 18,000 crore share buyback. The move was seen as a strong vote of confidence in the company’s long-term prospects, with the founders effectively choosing to retain their stake rather than book quick profits.
Hindustan Unilever (HUL)
Hindustan Unilever share price gained nearly 3%, hitting Rs 2,667.55, after the FMCG leader reported its Q2 FY26 results. The company posted a net profit of Rs 2,690 crore, marking a 3% year-on-year rise from Rs 2,612 crore in the same quarter last year.
Trading volumes were strong, with over 16 lakh shares exchanged compared with a weekly average of 14 lakh.
Bharat Electronics (BEL)
Bharat Electronics share price rose 0.63% to Rs 420.25 after the defence major announced a Rs 633 crore order win (excluding taxes) from Cochin Shipyard. The order covers advanced sensors, weapon systems, fire control mechanisms, and communication gear, reflecting the company’s widening footprint in integrated defence systems.
BEL’s stock is currently just 3.6% below its 52-week high of Rs 435.95 and nearly 75% above its 52-week low of Rs 240.15. The company’s market capitalization now stands above Rs 3 lakh crore, underscoring its dominant position in India’s defence sector.
Textile Stocks: Vardhman Textiles, Gokalda, Kitex Garments,
Textile stocks stole the spotlight, surging up to 17% as optimism surrounding a potential India–US trade deal grew stronger. Vardhman Textiles, Kitex Garments, Gokaldas Exports, Trident, Indo Count Industries, Pearl Global, Welspun Living, and KPR Mill were among the top movers.
Vardhman Textiles and Gokaldas Exports led the surge, with traders betting big on a possible reduction in import duties on Indian textile goods from the current 50% down to 15–16%. The duty cut, if finalised, could trigger a significant jump in Indian exports to the US, making the sector one of the biggest near-term beneficiaries of trade normalization.
Gold Loan Companies: Muthoot Finance and Manappuram Finance
Gold finance companies continued to slide as gold prices corrected for the third consecutive session. Muthoot Finance share price fell 4.29% to Rs 3,134.20, while Manappuram Finance share price declined 2.8% to Rs 277.90.
In the last three sessions, Muthoot Finance has lost nearly 6%. The link between bullion and gold finance stocks is direct as gold prices dip, the value of collateral weakens, compressing loan margins. With gold easing from record highs near $4,000 an ounce globally, profit-taking was inevitable.