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Sensex jumped 411 points to 84,363.37, its fourth straight gain before the Diwali Muhurat session.
Cipla and Reliance were the Nifty gainers, while ICICI Bank and JSW Steel topped the losers' list.
Analysts expect the bullish momentum to carry forward, with Nifty targeting 26,300 as the next big resistance level.
The Indian stock market today maintained its remarkable winning streak as investors readied themselves for the special Diwali Muhurat trading session. Benchmark indices were on an uptrend. Sensex rose 411.18 points, or 0.49%, to 84,363.37, and Nifty 50 gained 133.30 points, or 0.52%, to 25,843.15. Let’s see what happened in the stock market today in detail based on Moneycontrol Live Updates.
India's key exchanges, BSE, National Stock Exchange (NSE), Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), and National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) would be conducting a special Diwali Muhurat trading session on 21st October 2025. The special trading window will function between 1:45 pm and 2:45 pm, and investors can take part in this festive ritual.
The stock market today saw broad-based buying in most sectors. Bank Nifty index was up by 0.55% to 58,033.20. BSE Smallcap index also joined the rally, it surged 0.59% to 53,356.04.
Among Nifty 50's top gainers, Cipla shares topped the list with a gain of 3.90%, followed by Reliance Industries, which gained 3.53%. Shriram Finance soared 2.73%, while Bajaj Finserv and Axis Bank were up 2.69% and 2.15%, respectively. Foreign Institutional Investors (FII) were in the positive mood with net buying of Rs. 790.45 crore, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DII) invested Rs. 2485.46 crore on October 20.
ICICI Bank was the biggest loser in the stock market today. The stock was down 3.22%. It was followed by JSW Steel, which lost 1.56%. M&M and Eternal dipped 1.32% and 1.31%, respectively. The overall market breadth was still positive with 1,641 stocks gaining compared to 1,211 losing stocks on NSE.
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Technical analysts opine that the Indian stock market has breached key levels of resistance. HDFC Securities' Nagaraj Shetti noted that Nifty 50 has convincingly crossed 24,500 levels, reflecting a steeply rising trend. The index created a spinning top pattern, reflecting some selling pressure at higher levels, but the trend is positive overall. Analysts see the next target on the upside around 26,300 levels in the next week, with immediate support at 25,700.
Bank Nifty index has reached 58,350 mark, which can be a small obstacle. The technical indicators place the RSI at 77, which is still high but not yet at a point of exhaustion. Bank Nifty's support is at 57,750-57,600 and resistance at 58,300-58,400.
Asian markets also rallied with Straits Times and Hang Seng gaining 1% each. The hike came on improving trade relations between large economies. Wall Street closed strongly higher on October 20, with Dow Jones Industrial Average surging 1.12%, to 46,706.58. S&P 500 was up 1.07%, and Nasdaq Composite rose 1.37%.
Gold prices took a break from their record-setting spree as investors booked profits. Gold price had reached an all-time high of $4,381.21 on October 20. Spot gold declined 0.3% to $4,340.99 an ounce. Silver ETFs recorded sharp drops of 7% on October 20 as demand softened and market prices dipped below iNAV.
Oil prices declined for the second day in succession. Brent crude futures dropped 0.28% to $60.84 a barrel and WTI crude eased 0.52% to $57.22, as investors fretted about oversupply and demand risks.
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Experts are upbeat about the direction of the Indian stock market today with festive tailwinds and technicals backing the bullish theme. However, analysts warn that there could be short-term minor consolidation or dips following the sharp upswing, which would offer investors buying opportunities.
The Sensex rose 411 points on heavy buying of pharma, banking, and energy shares. The buying was further aided by positive global signals, excitement on account of the festival, and also large institutional buying from foreign institutional investors (FIIs) and domestic institutional investors (DIIs) which gave confidence to the investors.
2. What is Diwali Muhurat trading and why is it special?
Diwali Muhurat trading is a special trading session on the day of Diwali for one hour only, symbolizing wealth and prosperity, and is considered auspicious for starting new investments because it is also simultaneously the beginning of the Hindu financial year.
3. What sectors saw the maximum gains within the market today?
The small-cap stocks, pharma stocks, and banking stocks were at the forefront of driving the rally with the Bank Nifty gaining more than 0.55%. Cipla, Reliance, and Bajaj Finserv saw the most gains fueled by renewed confidence in blue-chip stocks among investors.
4. What can investors look forward to regarding Diawli Muhurat trading?
Experts say that investors would like to open with a positive day of Diwali Muhurat trading, as strong overseas markets, the festive spirit and better liquidity conditions should encourage retail and institutional related buying of stock during this auspicious trading session.
5. What is the technical outlook for Nifty and Bank Nifty?
Nifty has broken the level of 25800, and may target 26300 next, while having support at 25700. Bank Nifty has resistance at 58400 but remains strong above 57600 indicating continued bullishness.
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