Stock Market Update (18th Sep 26): Nifty 50 up by 0.28% and Sensex by 0.35%

Indian markets are likely to remain uncertain amid positive cues from global markets, a rising rupee, fluctuating crude oil prices, and persistent FII fund outflows from the domestic markets. The previous session ended the day trading with mixed sentiment amid a decline in crude oil prices and weak cues from broader Asian markets.

Global cues

• Both Asian markets and U.S. markets traded higher, led by a rally in technology stocks, suggesting that investors continued to focus on the earnings potential linked to artificial intelligence.

Gift Nifty

• On 18th September 2026, the GIFT Nifty traded lower as foreign investors continued to exit from the Indian markets.

Asian Markets

• Asian markets traded higher, following trends in U.S markets.

U.S & European Markets

• The U.S markets traded up on easing of bond yields.

• The United Kingdom’s FTSE traded in the green, led by Endeavour up 3.66%, SSE up 3.64%, and Anglo American up 3.58%.
• The French index, CAC, closed trading in the green, led by gains in Schneider Electric up by 3.03%, Eurofins Scientific SE by 2.92%, and Stellantis NV by 2.63%.
• The German index, the DAX, closed trading higher amid gains in Porsche Automobil up by 4.32%, Qiagen NV by 3.82%, and Siemens Energy by 3.41%.

Commodities

• Brent Crude traded higher amid renewed buying interest, while WTI Crude oil prices traded lower as concerns over supply disruptions in the Middle East eased and hopes grew for renewed diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
• Precious metals, such as gold and silver, traded higher amid lower WTI crude prices.
• Natural gas traded in the red as weather forecasts turned cooler, decreasing gas demand from power generators for air conditioning.

Currency Movements

• The dollar index rose as traders weighed the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook after its latest rate decision.
• The rupee rose against other currencies amid a decline in oil prices.

Sectors to watch

• Automobile Sector: The Union Heavy Industries Minister H D Kumaraswamy said that Investments under the automobile PLI scheme have surpassed ₹45,000 crore.
• Healthcare Sector: The Ministry of Health issued an advisory against unregulated use of stem cell therapies, stating that such treatment can be offered as standard care only for conditions specifically approved by the ministry.
• Metals & Mining Sector: The Ministry of Coal launched the 16th round of commercial coal mine auctions, with 25 blocks in states such as Odisha, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
• Oil & Gas Sector: The Indian government discussed with the U.S. about the potential implications of the 'Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act' on bilateral ties and on international energy markets, signalling that bilateral relations may be adversely impacted if the Act is given a green signal by the White House.

Stocks to watch

• Wipro: Wipro partnered with Aramco and SAP for launching Wipro STO360, to help asset-intensive organisations manage shutdowns, turnarounds and outages more efficiently.
• Oil India: Oil India plans to invest ₹150 billion over the next three years in deepwater exploration projects in India, and also targets higher domestic oil and gas production, accelerated exploration and selective expansion in clean energy.
• Bharat Forge: Bharat Forge opened its Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) on September 17, with the floor price fixed at ₹1,947.70 per share.
• Petronet LNG: Petronet LNG is set to form a 50:50 joint venture with Gruner Renewable Energy to establish 10 compressed biogas (CBG) plants across India.
• PTC India: PTC India established a joint venture, NIRL PTC Renewables, with NLC India Renewables for exploring and developing green energy projects, with a 26% stake in the JV.

FII and DII Inflows - 17th September 2026

(The above numbers are in ₹ Cr.)

• On 17th September, net fund inflows were at ₹408.99 crore, with domestic institutional investors (DIIs) as net buyers, supporting Indian markets, and foreign institutional investors (FIIs) as net sellers, as investors shifted to safe-haven assets like gold and silver and closely monitored the macroeconomic updates from the global markets.

Global Events & Updates

• On 18th September, the Eurozone will release construction output data for July 2026 and ECB Consumer inflation expectations data for August 2026.
• The United Kingdom will release the retail sales data for August 2026 today.
• The United States will release the industrial and manufacturing production data for August 2026 today.

Things to look out for

• The Eurozone’s annual inflation rose to 3.2% in August 2026, slightly below the preliminary estimate of 3.3% and above the ECB’s 2% target, driven largely by a surge in energy prices amid continued fighting in the Middle East, with energy inflation jumped to 14.3%, its highest since January 2023, while inflation for unprocessed food and non-energy industrial goods also accelerated.
• The United Kingdom’s Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee voted 6–3 to keep Bank Rate steady at 3.75% at its September 16, 2026 meeting, in line with market expectations.