Stock markets end marginally higher on buying in IT counters

Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended marginally higher connected Monday (May 18, 2026) aft facing crisp losses successful intraday trade, supported by worth buying successful IT and prime blue-chip counters.

However, a anemic rupee against the U.S. dollar and rising planetary crude prices amid escalated tensions successful West Asia capped the gains, traders said.

In an highly volatile trade, the 30-share BSE Sensex accrued by 77.05 points, oregon 0.10%, to settee astatine 75,315.04. During the day, it tanked 1,134.78 points, oregon 1.50%, to 74,180.26.

The 50-share NSE Nifty edged higher by 6.45 points, oregon 0.03%, to extremity astatine 23,649.95.

From the Sensex firms, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finserv, Sun Pharma, HCL Tech, Bajaj Finance and Tata Consultancy Services were among the large winners.

In contrast, Tata Steel, Power Grid, State Bank of India and NTPC were large laggards.

“The prolonged stalemate betwixt the U.S. and Iran continues to formed a shadiness implicit near-term sentiment, yet the equity marketplace managed to retrieve intraday losses and closed connected a level note, supported by worth buying successful IT and banking stocks. The ongoing net play has provided a constructive narrative, but caution persists arsenic higher enslaved yields, elevated crude lipid prices, and a weakening rupee reenforce inflationary concerns,” Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said.

Brent crude, the planetary lipid benchmark, traded 0.73% higher astatine $110.10 per barrel.

“Indian equity markets staged a beardown intraday betterment contiguous aft witnessing weakness during the opening signifier arsenic investors shifted from panic-driven selling towards selective worth buying and assertive abbreviated covering,” Hariprasad K, Research Analyst and Founder, Livelong Wealth, said.

“One of the biggest outperformers successful today’s league was the IT sector, with the Nifty IT scale surging much than 2%. The assemblage is progressively emerging arsenic a antiaircraft allocation during periods of planetary uncertainty,” helium added.

In Asian markets, Japan’s benchmark Nikkei, Shanghai’s SSE Composite scale and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng ended lower, portion South Korea’s benchmark Kospi settled successful affirmative territory.

Markets successful Europe were trading connected a mixed note.

U.S. markets ended implicit 1% little connected Friday (May 15, 2026).

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worthy ₹1,329.17 crore connected Friday (May 15, 2026), according to speech data.

In the erstwhile league connected Friday (May 15, 2026), the Sensex dropped 160.73 points, oregon 0.21%, to settee astatine 75,237.99. The Nifty settled little by 46.10 points, oregon 0.19%, astatine 23,643.50, snapping its two-day gaining streak.