Nifty Pharma Today: Index Down 0.21% in Early Trade

Early-session update, 24 August 2026:Nifty Pharma traded 0.21% lower at 26,305.40, down 54.35 points from its previous close of 26,359.75, as of 10:00:04 AM IST. The index was the second top losing sector index among the configured sector indices in the opening session.

Quick sector takeaways

• Nifty Pharma today was at 26,305.40, down 54.35 points or 0.21% from 26,359.75.
• The index moved between 26,159.00 and 26,340.90 in the early session after opening at 26,336.70.
• Market breadth was marginally negative: 10 stocks declined, 9 advanced and 1 was unchanged among 20 tracked stocks.
• JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, Ajanta Pharma and Divi's Laboratories were among the key drags, while Gland Pharma, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories and Natco Pharma advanced. Watch whether the near-even breadth changes as the session progresses.

Nifty Pharma today: early-session update

Nifty Pharma today opened at 26,336.70 and subsequently moved lower, touching an intraday low of 26,159.00 before trading at 26,305.40. That left the sector index below both its opening level and the previous close of 26,359.75 at the time of the update.

The 0.21% decline was modest at the index level, but the stock-level picture showed a divided sector. Nine stocks were in the green, while 10 were lower. This balance matters because the index was under pressure even though advances were nearly as numerous as declines. The opening move therefore reflected uneven participation rather than a uniform move across pharma names.

Price snapshot

Metric	Level	Early-session reading
Last traded price	26,305.40	Down 54.35 points
Previous close	26,359.75	Reference level for the day
Day open	26,336.70	Below the previous close
Day high	26,340.90	Early-session high
Day low	26,159.00	Early-session low

The index's intraday range was 181.90 points between the high and low. At 26,305.40, it was 35.50 points above the day's low and 35.50 points below the day's high. This places the index exactly at the midpoint of its recorded early-session range, while still below the previous close.

Sector ranking

Among the configured sector indices, Nifty Pharma was the second top losing sector index in percentage terms at 0.21% lower. Nifty FMCG was down 0.22%, while Nifty Auto and Nifty Bank were lower by 0.11% and 0.12%, respectively. In contrast, Nifty Metal, Nifty IT, Nifty Mid Select and Nifty Financial Services were positive in the early session.

This ranking puts the pharma index near the weaker end of the configured sector set, although the difference between the two top sectoral declines was narrow. The 0.21% fall should therefore be read as an early-session relative-performance observation rather than a broad conclusion for the full trading day.

Constituent breadth

Of the 20 tracked Nifty Pharma stocks, 10 declined, 9 advanced and Abbott India was unchanged. The advance-decline ratio stood at 0.90, showing that for every 10 declining stocks, nine were advancing. Such breadth is marginally negative, consistent with the index's 0.21% decline.

The distribution also shows why stock selection remained relevant within the sector. Positive moves in a group of names coexisted with sharper declines in others, leaving the sector index lower overall. For readers following the broader market alongside pharma, the Univest Market View offers a wider market dashboard.

Heavyweights versus broader participation

Among the supplied heavyweight stocks, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries rose 0.13% to 1,904.90 and Dr. Reddy's Laboratories gained 0.70% to 1,182.90. Their gains were offset within the heavyweight set by Divi's Laboratories, down 1.30% to 8,485.50, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, down 0.25%, and Cipla, down 0.35%.

The supplied active-stock list also included Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Divi's Laboratories, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Cipla and Dr. Reddy's Laboratories. Their mixed price performance closely reflected the sector's divided breadth: gains in some widely followed names did not prevent the index from remaining below its previous close.

Key Nifty Pharma stocks

Stock	Move	Why it matters
JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals	−3.87% to 2,408.90	Largest percentage decliner among the supplied sector movers.
Ajanta Pharma	−1.50% to 3,585.20	One of the more notable early-session declines.
Divi's Laboratories	−1.30% to 8,485.50	A supplied heavyweight that was lower.
Gland Pharma	+0.74% to 2,840.10	Top percentage gainer among the supplied stocks.
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories	+0.70% to 1,182.90	A heavyweight that remained positive.

Biggest positive movers

Gland Pharma led the supplied gainers with a 0.74% rise to 2,840.10. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories followed with a 0.70% gain to 1,182.90, while Natco Pharma advanced 0.59% to 887.60. Aurobindo Pharma gained 0.20%, and Glenmark Pharmaceuticals added 0.14%.

These gains provided constructive counterweights within the sector. Gland Pharma traded near its intraday high of 2,843.90, while Dr. Reddy's Laboratories was at 1,182.90 against a day high of 1,186.00. These are price-location observations from the early session, not explanations for the moves.

Biggest negative movers

JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals was the largest supplied loser, falling 3.87% to 2,408.90 after trading between 2,380.00 and 2,525.50. Ajanta Pharma declined 1.50% to 3,585.20, and Divi's Laboratories fell 1.30% to 8,485.50. Biocon was down 0.76%, while Alkem Laboratories declined 0.56%.

The size of these declines was more pronounced than the gains registered by the leading advancers. That contrast aligns with the index's negative reading despite breadth being close to even.

Stocks to watch next session

Investors can track JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, Ajanta Pharma, Divi's Laboratories, Gland Pharma, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories and Natco Pharma. The first three featured among the leading declines, while the latter three led the supplied gainers. Monitoring whether these divergent moves continue or narrow can help place the next session's sector move in context.

The constructive case

The constructive evidence is visible in the narrow breadth gap: nine stocks advanced against 10 declines. Gland Pharma, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories and Natco Pharma posted gains, while Sun Pharmaceutical Industries also remained modestly positive. The index was additionally trading midway between its recorded day high and low at the time of the update, rather than at either extreme.

This combination does not change the index's negative early-session reading, but it shows that positive participation remained present across the sector.

The cautious case

Nifty Pharma was below its previous close and below its opening level, with 10 of 20 tracked stocks declining. The leading declines in JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, Ajanta Pharma and Divi's Laboratories were larger in percentage terms than the leading gains. Divi's Laboratories, Torrent Pharmaceuticals and Cipla were also lower among the supplied heavyweight group.

For the session ahead, the relevant observable signals are whether the index holds above its early low of 26,159.00, whether the number of decliners expands, and whether the positive moves in leading gainers persist.

Univest Insights

The early Nifty Pharma today reading is one of measured index pressure rather than one-sided sector participation. A 0.21% fall places the index among the weaker configured sectors, but the breadth split of 9 advances, 10 declines and one unchanged stock remains closely balanced.

The index's path from an opening level of 26,336.70 to a low of 26,159.00, followed by a trade at 26,305.40, indicates that it recovered part of the distance from the low during the early session. At the same time, it remained 54.35 points below the previous close, keeping the day-on-day reading negative.

Heavyweight performance was mixed, with gains in Sun Pharmaceutical Industries and Dr. Reddy's Laboratories alongside declines in Divi's Laboratories, Torrent Pharmaceuticals and Cipla. This mixed setup makes it useful to follow both index levels and the distribution of stock moves through the session.

For traders and investors, the key signal to watch is…

Published on 24 August 2026 at 10:04 AM IST

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Frequently asked questions

What is Nifty Pharma today?

Nifty Pharma was at 26,305.40, down 54.35 points or 0.21%, as of 10:00:04 AM IST on 24 August 2026.

What was the Nifty Pharma previous close?

The previous close was 26,359.75.

What were Nifty Pharma's day high and day low?

The early-session day high was 26,340.90 and the day low was 26,159.00.

Why was Nifty Pharma among the top losing sector indices?

It was down 0.21%, making it the second top losing sector index among the configured sector indices at the time of the update.

How was Nifty Pharma breadth today?

Among 20 tracked stocks, 9 advanced, 10 declined and 1 was unchanged.

Which Nifty Pharma stocks were the leading movers?

JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals was the largest supplied decliner at 3.87%, while Gland Pharma was the top supplied gainer at 0.74%.

Disclaimer

Investments in securities markets are subject to market risks. Read all related documents carefully before investing. This sector-index update is for informational and educational purposes only and is not personalized investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security.