Stock Market Indicators: Sensex Rises 200 Points Before Trading Opens; Nifty Approaches 24,200; Asian Markets Show Mixed Dynamics

The decline in the stock market that had continued for the last five business days was halted on Thursday. The influence of positive signals received from abroad was directly reflected in the Sensex and Nifty indicators.

At the opening of the market, the BSE index, consisting of 30 stocks, Sensex traded at 77,494, exceeding 500 points. Simultaneously, the Nifty index of the National Stock Exchange also went above the 24,200 mark.

Analyzing the start of trading in the stock market, it is clear that the Sensex BSE opened at 77,468, showing growth compared to the previous closing level of 76,909. It then began to rise rapidly, surpassing the 77,500 mark with an increase of 593 points.

The Nifty index, which includes 50 NSE stocks, followed the example of the Sensex, opening at 24,225, which is a significant jump compared to the previous closing of 24,078.

Early trading indicators for GIFT Nifty, an early indicator of Nifty50, showed growth, suggesting a potentially positive start to trading. According to data from Thursday, August 20, 2026, GIFT Nifty indicated that Nifty50 might break its seven-day winning streak at the open, as Asian markets rose and global bond yields declined. Futures traded at 24,217 points, an increase of 98 points.

Asian-Pacific markets demonstrated growth amid falling bond yields after the US announced plans to buy back long-term Treasury bonds to lower borrowing costs. The South Korean stock market, represented by Kospi, rose by 6 percent, while Japan's Nikkei 225 increased by 1.3 percent.

Overnight, the Dow Jones and S&P 500 indices increased by 0.22 and 0.21 percent, respectively. The Nasdaq Composite gained 0.16 percent.

Brent crude continued to rise for the fifth consecutive day amid heightened tensions. This followed a statement by US President Donald Trump about conducting an unprecedented economic war operation against Iran. According to Bloomberg, this statement came after Iran was accused of failing to reach an agreement with Washington.

Brent crude futures for October delivery traded on the Intercontinental Exchange at $92.08 per barrel, up 0.53 percent. Meanwhile, gold futures lost previous gains after touching their highest level since June, while silver futures showed growth.

Initial Public Offerings (IPOs)

The Initial Public Offering of Tempsens Instruments (India) is set to open for subscription on Thursday. This book-built offering is valued at 650 crore rupees. Gaja Alternative Asset Management will also continue its IPO on the second day, aiming to raise 550 crore rupees from the primary market. In the SME segment, the IPOs of Dhanwel Hybrid Seeds and Mopshop Distribution open for subscription on the second day. The final subscription day is scheduled for the IPOs of Shankesh Jewellers and Sunshine Pictures.

US Stock Trading: Futures Rise

US stock futures traded higher during Asian trading hours, supported by a weakening US dollar and declining bond yields. Dow Jones and S&P 500 futures rose by 0.04 and 0.15 percent, respectively. Overnight, the Dow Jones and S&P 500 indices increased by 0.22 and 0.21 percent, and the Nasdaq Composite increased by 0.16 percent.

Market Updates: Good Morning Readers!

This message is a live broadcast covering market events from Business Standard. Topics include: markets, market news, Asian markets, US markets, stock market trading, stocks, IPOs, and SME IPOs. The material was first published on August 20, 2026, at 7:52 AM IST.

The GIFT Nifty indicator signaled a possible negative opening for the Nifty50 index. Meanwhile, most Asian markets showed growth.

At the start of trading on Monday, August 17, 2026, GIFT Nifty futures traded slightly lower due to ambiguous global signals, reaching the level of 24,438, which is 30 points less. Markets in the Asia-Pacific region rose on Monday morning as traders closed their bets on US interest rate hikes following the release of softer economic data. South Korea's Kospi and Hong Kong's Hang Seng showed growth of 2.42% and 1.4%, respectively.

Last Friday, the Dow Jones and S&P 500 indices closed trading down by 0.2% and 0.17%, respectively, while the Nasdaq Composite fell by 0.28%.

Brent crude oil prices rose due to concerns about the direction of geopolitical tensions in West Asia, as Israel resumed attacks on Lebanon. October futures on the Intercontinental Exchange traded at $88.81 per barrel.

Gold and silver futures rose by 0.55% and 1.07%, respectively.

Initial Public Offerings (IPOs)

On Monday, the listing of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) for Horizon Industrial Parks and Lalithaa Jewellery Mart began. In the SME IPO segment, three offerings are undergoing the second day of subscription: Technocrats Plasma Systems, ENS Enterprises, and Skytech Infinite Platform. Additionally, the Credent Connect IPO will open for subscription on its last day, being a book-building issue worth 93.90 crore rupees.

IPO Listing

The Grey Market Premium (GMP) for Dhoot Transmission indicated a potential growth of 30% upon listing, while the GMP for Molbio Diagnostics pointed to an increase of 14.17%.

US Stock Futures Trading Shows Mixed Picture

On Monday morning, US stock futures traded with mixed sentiment as investors assessed the latest situation in West Asia. S&P 500 futures rose by 0.04%, while Dow Jones futures fell by 0.13%. It is worth noting that last Friday, the Dow Jones and S&P 500 indices closed trading down by 0.2% and 0.17%, respectively, and the Nasdaq Composite showed a decline of 0.28%.