Today’s Stock Market Closing, 20 Oct: Nifty and Sensex Rise for 4th Consecutive Session, Hit 52-Week High; Reliance Leads, PSU Bank Surges Nearly 3%

On Monday, October 20, Indian equity benchmark indices ended 0.5% higher, extending gains for the fourth consecutive session. The Nifty 50 and Sensex hit 52-week highs, led by index heavyweight Reliance Industries after reporting its Q2 results. 

At the close, the Nifty 50 rose by 133.30 points, or 0.52%, to settle at 25,843.15, while the Sensex gained 411.18 points, or 0.49%, ending at 84,363.37. Both benchmark indices remain just about 2% below their record highs. Meanwhile, India’s volatility index, India VIX, fell more than 2% during the session.

On the sectoral front, 7 out of 11 sectors closed in positive territory. India's banking index, Bank Nifty, and broader financials index, Nifty Financial Services, hit lifetime highs after HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank posted their earnings on Saturday.

Meanwhile, broader markets outperformed frontline indices, with both Nifty Midcap and Smallcap ending higher.

Stock-Specific Highlights

Among individual stocks,

• Reliance Industries share price rose 3.5% to a three-month high after a strong core performance in the September quarter boosted the blue-chip.
• Private lender HDFC Bank share price hit an all-time high on the back of strong quarterly results
• Punjab National Bank share price rises 3.8% after reporting a rise in the second quarter profit, aided by steady loan growth and improving asset quality.

Nifty PSU Bank - Top Gaining Sector

The Nifty PSU Bank index climbed 2.87%, marking its largest intraday gain since May 30 and reaching a 52-week high. The rally was led by the State Bank of India, which hit a new all-time high and saw its market capitalisation surpass ₹8 lakh crore, overtaking HDFC Bank. In contrast, the Nifty Auto index declined 0.16%, with Mahindra & Mahindra falling more than 1%.

Nifty 50: Top Pullers and Draggers of the Day

The key drivers of the index gains were:

• Reliance Industries: +75.41 points
• Bharti Airtel: +22.58 points
• Infosys: +16.96 points

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

• ICICI Bank: -67.83 points
• Mahindra & Mahindra: -9.76 points
• Eternal Enterprises: -6.38 points

Broader Markets End on a Positive Note

The broader market indices ended on a positive note on Monday. The Mid-cap 100 index ended up by 0.75% and the Small-cap 100 ended up by 0.46%. 

Market Breadth

As of October 20, 2025, the market breadth was in favour of advancing stocks. Out of 3,234 stocks traded on the NSE, 1,884 advanced, 1,244 declined, and 106 remained unchanged. 

A total of 95 stocks touched their 52-week highs, while 98 hit their 52-week lows. Additionally, 98 stocks were locked in their upper circuits, whereas 59 stocks were in lower circuits. 

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