Markets end near two-month high; Nifty retakes 24,500 as banks, FMCG lead
Published on 21/04/2026 03:55 PM
Markets end near two-month high; Nifty retakes 24,500 as banks, FMCG leadIndian equities ended at near two-month highs, with the Sensex surging over 750 points and the Nifty closing above 24,550, led by gains in FMCG, banking and realty stocks, while broader markets also advanced.By Sheersh Kapoor April 21, 2026, 3:55:00 PM IST (Updated)2 Min ReadIndian equity benchmarks extended gains on April 21, ending at near two-month highs as buying across sectors lifted sentiment. The Sensex rose 753 points to close at 79,273, while the Nifty climbed 212 points to settle at 24,577, reclaiming the 24,500 mark for the first time since early March.
The rally was broad-based, with all sectoral indices ending in the green. FMCG and realty stocks led the gains, rising around 2% each, while banking and telecom stocks added about 1%.
Financials remained a key driver, with HDFC Bank, Axis Bank and ICICI Bank among the top contributors to the Nifty’s advance. The Nifty Bank index gained 789 points to close at 57,371.
Among index heavyweights, Nestle India surged 7% after reporting a strong set of quarterly numbers, emerging as the top Nifty gainer. Trent advanced 3% ahead of its results, while Bajaj Finance andHindustan Unilever also supported the upmove. On the downside, SBI Life Insurance fell 4% ahead of its earnings, while Bharat Electronics and Jio Financial Services were among other laggards.
Broader markets also participated in the rally, with the midcap index rising 0.4% and smallcaps gaining nearly 1%. Market breadth remained positive, with the advance-decline ratio at 2:1.
Stock-specific action remained strong. PNB Housing Finance and Groww rallied on better-than-expected results, lifting housing finance peers such as LIC Housing Finance. Bank of Maharashtra gained 6% after reporting healthy earnings, while Sterling & Wilson rose sharply following fresh order wins. On the flip side, SML Mahindra declined 7% after margin pressures weighed on sentiment.
Meanwhile, the Indian rupee weakened, ending 37 paise lower at 93.49 against the US dollar.Continue ReadingFirst Published: Apr 21, 2026 3:42 PM ISTTagsClosing Bellmarket closingMarkets At Closerupee todaySensex Niftyshare market today