Stock News Highlights
Jyoti CNC Automation (+8.31%): Shares rose after MeitY approved the company’s ₹1,020.65 crore five-year capex plan under ECMS, with eligibility for up to 25% investment incentive.
One 97 Communications (Paytm) (-2.15%): Shares declined after Vijay Shekhar Sharma-controlled Resilient Asset Management proposed selling up to a 4.98% stake at ₹1,535.10 per share.
Highway Infrastructure (+1.86%): Shares gained after the company received an ₹80.17 crore LOA from NHAI for operations at Palayam Fee Plaza in Tamil Nadu.
Manipal Health Enterprises (+0.26%): Shares rose after the company signed a Business Transfer Agreement to acquire Kinder Women’s Hospital in Bengaluru for ₹130 crore.
Sectoral Performance
Nifty India Defence (+1.29%): The index gained the most, led by HAL, Solar Industries and Data Patterns, after the Ministry unveiled a ₹3,070 crore opportunity covering 405 strategically important items for indigenous procurement.
Nifty Media (+0.40%): The index rose for the third straight session, supported by selective buying in key constituents despite 6 losers outnumbering 4 gainers.
Nifty IT (-1.93%): The index declined amid broad-based selling, with Infosys, TCS and HCL Technologies among the major losers, as recent profit booking and macro pressures weighed on sentiment.
Nifty Realty (-1.42%): index fell due to a mix of macro pressure from rising crude oil prices, global geopolitical tensions, and indirect fallout from the IT sector’s AI disruption fears, which hit high-value residential and commercial housing demand linked to tech employment.
Market Insights
Technical Level: Nifty opened with a minor gap-down and traded within a range during the session, facing resistance near 24,270 and finding support around 24,150.
Advance-Decline Ratio: Market breadth remained negative, with 1,555 stocks advancing against 1,924 declining, indicating broader selling pressure across the market.
The Big Picture: The US 30-year yield just hit its highest level since 2007. Iran is back to threatening an offensive posture if talks collapse. Trump threatened to bomb Oman if it interferes. Brent is pushing back toward $90. That brief moment of relief India got when crude dipped below $80 is gone.
FII/DII Activity (August 18, 2026): DIIs bought ₹2,579 crore, while FIIs bought ₹1,651 crore, indicating net institutional buying and providing support to the market.
Watch Out For Tomorrow
IPO Corner: Sunshine Picture & Shankesh Jewellers IPO is opened for subscription Today, making the IPO robust sentiment.
Macro: UK Inflation Rate YoY (Jul) & USA FOMC Minutes data scheduled for release tomorrow.
Market Watch: Global cues are likely to remain in focus as Brent crude hovers near $90, US bond yields stay elevated and renewed US-Iran tensions keep geopolitical risks high. Higher yields could continue to pressure foreign flows, while expensive crude may weigh on the rupee and inflation expectations. With market breadth remaining weak, investors may prefer a cautious approach until clarity emerges on oil prices and geopolitical developments.
Word of the day
Volatility
Definition: Volatility measures how sharply and frequently the price of a financial asset moves over a given period.
In simple terms: Higher volatility means bigger price swings and greater uncertainty.