Today’s Stock Market Closing, 20 Aug: Nifty and Sensex End in Green for 5 Consecutive Days; Nifty Reclaims 25,000 Mark, Led by IT Stocks

On Wednesday, August 20, Indian markets closed higher, led by IT stocks, ahead of the Federal Reserve's Jackson Hole symposium on August 21–23.

At the closing bell, the Nifty 50 ended up by 69.90 points or 0.28%, at 25,050.55. The Sensex jumped by 213.46 points or 0.26% to 81,857.58. Nifty 50 Index closed above the 25,000 mark, led by a 3.9% jump in Infosys share price. Nifty Auto index edged up by 0.05% closed nearly flat, awaiting clarity on a demand boost from GST cuts.

Nifty IT and Nifty FMCG were the top two gainers among the sectoral indices. The Nifty FMCG index. advanced 1.3% on Wednesday, marking its third consecutive session of gains, supported by optimism around proposed GST reforms. The index has added 3.6% over the last three sessions, with investors expecting that a potential reduction in GST on FMCG and processed food items from 12% to 5% could strengthen consumer demand, improve pricing power, and lift margins, particularly during the festive season. 

Out of 15 FMCG stocks, 13 ended higher, led by Emami, which rose 4.06%. Other major gainers included Britannia, Colgate, and Marico, each climbing over 3%.

On the sectoral front, 6 out of 11 key sectoral indices ended in positive territory. Meanwhile, broader indices like Nifty Midcap 100 and Smallcap 100 ended higher. 

Stock-Specific Highlights

Among individual stocks,

• Bharti Airtel's share price jumped 1% as the company withdrew the entry-level 1 GB/day plan
• Nazara Technologies’ share price plunged near 13% as the cabinet cleared the bill to regulate online gaming platforms.
• Aditya Infotech's share price is locked in the 10% upper circuit after a 46% YoY surge in Q1 PAT

Nifty IT - Top Gainer of the Day

The Nifty IT index advanced 2.69%, emerging as the best-performing sectoral index. Infosys and Mphasis were the top gainers in the pack. The rally came ahead of the U.S. Fed’s Jackson Hole symposium, with investors anticipating a 25-basis-point rate cut next month. In contrast, the Nifty Media index slipped 1.98%, making it the worst performer.

Nifty 50: Top Pullers and Draggers of the Day

The key drivers of the index gains were:

• Infosys:  +47.06 points
• TCS: +18.75 points
• Hindustan Unilever: +12.43 points

On the other hand, these stocks weighed on the index:

• Reliance Industries:  - 10.45 points
• ICICI Bank: - 9.37 points
• Bajaj Finance: - 8.37 points

Broader Markets Positive

The broader market indices ended on a Positive note. The Mid-cap 100 index ended up by 0.46% and the Small-cap 100 index closed higher by 0.30%. 

Market Breadth

As of August 20, 2025, the market breadth was in favour of advancing stocks. Out of 3,061 stocks traded on the NSE, 1,712 advanced, 1,263 declined, and 86 remained unchanged. 

A total of 81 stocks touched their 52-week highs, while 26 hit their 52-week lows. Additionally, 123 stocks were locked in their upper circuits, whereas 43 stocks were in lower circuits. 

Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.