Sensex Nifty Today Close Higher on 26 August as IT and FMCG Stocks Cap the Rally

Sensex closed at 77,472.94, up 183.15 points. Nifty settled at 24,207.75, up 126.80 points. Nifty PSU Bank rose 1 percent, top sector gainer. Cement shares gained up to 5 percent.

Updated: 26 Aug 2026 • 5:19 pm

Posted by:

Sensex Nifty Today Close Higher on 26 August as IT and FMCG Stocks Cap the Rally

Quick Answer

Sensex closed at 77,472.94 and Nifty settled at 24,207.75 on 26 August 2026, both higher for the day but well off their intraday highs. PSU bank and cement stocks led sector gains, while IT, FMCG, and auto shares dragged the market lower through the afternoon. Broader markets were mixed, with midcaps flat and smallcaps outperforming. Global cues around US inflation data and West Asia developments kept sentiment cautious into the close.

Sensex Nifty today ended a choppy 26 August session on a firmer note, though both benchmarks gave back a large chunk of their intraday gains as IT, FMCG, and auto stocks weighed through the afternoon. The Sensex closed at 77,472.94, up 183.15 points or 0.24 percent, while the Nifty 50 settled at 24,207.75, higher by 126.80 points or 0.52 percent.

Earlier in the session, both indices had climbed well above their closing levels before profit booking set in during the last two hours of trade. ICICI Bank, SBI Life Insurance, and HDFC Life Insurance were among the top gainers on the Nifty 50, while the Nifty IT index dragged the hardest, slipping more than 1 percent for the day.

Click Here – Get Free Investment Predictions

Table of Contents

Sensex Nifty Today: How the Sectors Performed

Sector performance was sharply divided in Wednesday's session. PSU banks emerged as the standout performer, with the Nifty PSU Bank index rising close to 1 percent as investors rotated into the segment. Metal stocks also drew selective interest through the afternoon even though the broader Nifty Metal index ultimately underperformed by the close.

Cement counters were the other bright spot of the day. The Nifty Cement index advanced nearly 1 percent, with The Ramco Cements, Dalmia Bharat, and Shree Cement among the names gaining as much as 5 percent on a constructive demand outlook heading into the second half of the fiscal year.

Index	Close	Change	Change %
Sensex	77,472.94	+183.15	+0.24%
Nifty 50	24,207.75	+126.80	+0.52%
Nifty Midcap	N/A	N/A	-0.10%
Nifty Smallcap	N/A	N/A	+0.81%

Check the Univest Screener for live data

What Dragged Sensex Nifty Today

The main drag on the market today came from IT, FMCG, and auto stocks, which pared a significant part of the day's advance in the final hour of trade. The Nifty IT index alone fell more than 1 percent as investors turned cautious ahead of Nvidia's upcoming quarterly earnings and pending US inflation data, both seen as key global cues for the rest of the week.

Broader markets, however, showed resilience even as the headline indices cooled off. The Nifty Midcap index closed close to flat, down about 0.1 percent, while the Nifty Smallcap index bucked the overall trend to end 0.81 percent higher, pointing to selective buying interest outside the largecap space.

Global Cues and Stock-Specific Moves

Traders tracking domestic benchmarks also kept an eye on developments in West Asia following the recent US-Iran de-escalation, along with mixed signals from Asian and US markets through the session. Among individual movers, Hindustan Zinc rose sharply after a brokerage upgrade citing favourable zinc and silver pricing, while Larsen and Toubro was in focus after disclosing a strong pickup in new order wins from the West Asia region.

Download the Univest iOS App or Univest Android App to track Sensex Nifty today and get real time market updates.

Conclusion

Sensex Nifty today closed higher for the session, but the retreat from intraday highs highlights how sensitive sentiment remains to global cues such as US inflation data and upcoming corporate earnings overseas. PSU banks and cement stocks stood out as the clearest pockets of strength, while IT and FMCG stayed under pressure. Investors would do well to track sector rotation closely in the sessions ahead rather than reading too much into the headline index move alone.

Disclaimer: Data and figures in this article are sourced from publicly available information. These may or may not be accurate. Please verify all data with the official NSE (nseindia.com) and BSE (bseindia.com) websites before making any investment decision. Investments in securities are subject to market risk. This content is for educational purposes only and is not investment advice by Univest (SEBI RA INH000013776).

Frequently Asked Questions on Sensex Nifty Today

Where did Sensex Nifty today close on 26 August 2026?

Ans. Sensex Nifty today closed with the Sensex at 77,472.94, up 183.15 points or 0.24 percent, and the Nifty 50 at 24,207.75, up 126.80 points or 0.52 percent.

Which sectors gained the most in today's session?

Ans. PSU banks led sector gains with the Nifty PSU Bank index up close to 1 percent, followed by cement stocks which rose as much as 5 percent on names like The Ramco Cements and Shree Cement.

Why did Sensex Nifty today pare gains by the close?

Ans. Weakness in IT, FMCG, and auto stocks in the last two hours of trade pulled both indices off their intraday highs, with the Nifty IT index falling more than 1 percent.

How did the broader markets perform today?

Ans. The Nifty Midcap index closed nearly flat, down about 0.1 percent, while the Nifty Smallcap index rose 0.81 percent, outperforming the headline indices.

Which stocks were the top gainers on the Nifty 50 today?

Ans. ICICI Bank, SBI Life Insurance, and HDFC Life Insurance were among the top gainers on the Nifty 50 in today's session.

What global factors are investors watching this week?

Ans. Investors are watching Nvidia's upcoming quarterly earnings, US inflation data, and developments in West Asia following the recent US-Iran de-escalation for cues on near term market direction.

Did metal stocks perform well in today's session?

Ans. Select metal names such as Hindustan Zinc saw strong gains on a brokerage upgrade, though the broader Nifty Metal index underperformed the market by the close.

Where can I track Sensex Nifty today live?

Ans. You can track Sensex Nifty today live using the Univest Screener or the Univest app, which provide real time index and stock level data during market hours.