Indian stock markets started November on a calm note, ending Monday’s session with small gains. The Nifty 50 rose 0.16% to 25,763, and the Sensex inched up 0.05% to 83,976. Although benchmark indices moved little, midcap and smallcap stocks outperformed, showing continued investor confidence.
Public sector bank (PSU) shares were among the most active, with the Nifty PSU Bank index climbing nearly 2% to a record high of 8,373, as investors cheered strong quarterly results and better asset quality. Experts said the broader market strength came from healthy Q2 earnings, especially in banking and manufacturing.
Top Gainers:
Pharma company Wockhardt led the pack, surging over 10% to ₹1,413 after posting a Q2 net profit of ₹78 crore, compared to a loss of ₹22 crore a year earlier. Vodafone Idea jumped 9.3% to ₹9.54, after reports suggested that the Supreme Court may allow the government to review relief on the company’s AGR dues.
Gravita India gained 8.4% to ₹1,806 following strong Q2 results showing a net profit of ₹96 crore, driven by improved efficiency. Bank of Baroda rose 4.6% to ₹291 on better-than-expected quarterly performance, supported by strong net interest income and lower expenses. Zen Technologies climbed 4.1% after winning defence contracts worth ₹289 crore, while Vedanta advanced 4% to ₹513 on its solid Q2 earnings, with brokerages projecting more upside.
Top Losers:
On the downside, Netweb Technologies fell 6% to ₹3,798 after recent profit booking. Maruti Suzuki dropped 3.3% to ₹15,651, following a downgrade by global firm Jefferies. Blue Dart Express and Adani Green Energy slipped about 3% each due to post-results selling pressure. Other laggards included Reliance Power, Zensar Technologies, and Aptus Value Housing, all down over 5%.
Overall, markets stayed range-bound but showed selective strength in PSU banks and manufacturing stocks. Analysts said that strong corporate earnings and investor optimism in mid- and small-cap shares are likely to keep the market mood positive in the coming weeks.
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