The Indian share market on Monday, October 20, 2025, witnessed a positive close ahead of the Diwali festival, with key indices Sensex and Nifty posting gains amid volatile trading. The Sensex closed the day at 84,363.37, rising by 411.18 points or 0.49%, while the Nifty settled at 25,843.15, up 133.3 points or 0.52%. Market sentiment remained upbeat with a broad-based rally and significant sectoral advances fueling the buying interest.
Sensex and Nifty Closing Bell Overview
The trading session opened on a positive note, with the Sensex gaining 317 points at the start and maintaining upward momentum. The Nifty also began higher, opening at 25,824.60 and crossing the 25,850 mark by the close of the day. Despite volatile swings throughout the session, the indices held their ground comfortably above key support levels, indicating sustained investor confidence during this festive season.
Market Breadth and Share Performance
The breadth of the market was healthy, with approximately 2,217 shares advancing against 1,648 shares declining on the NSE. Around 170 stocks remained unchanged. Among the top gainers on the Nifty index were Reliance Industries, Cipla, Bajaj Finserv, Shriram Finance, and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, which recorded significant percentage gains. On the other hand, ICICI Bank, Eternal Ltd, Adani Ports, JSW Steel, and Mahindra & Mahindra featured among the top losers, with ICICI Bank dropping over 2% during the session.
Top 5 gainers and losers with their percentage moves and sectors
Top 5 Gainers:
1. Cipla (Pharmaceuticals) – up 4.15%
2. Reliance Industries (Energy/Oil & Gas) – up 3.61%
3. Bajaj Finserv (Financial Services) – up 2.95%
4. Shriram Finance (Finance/NBFC) – up 2.87%
5. Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (Pharmaceuticals) – up 2.75%
Top 5 Losers:
1. ICICI Bank (Banking) – down 2.32%
2. Eternal Ltd (Metals) – down 2.25%
3. Adani Ports (Ports & Logistics) – down 1.98%
4. JSW Steel (Metals) – down 1.86%
5. Mahindra & Mahindra (Automobile) – down 1.75%
Sectoral Highlights
Sector performance was broadly positive, led by strong gains in PSU banks, which surged by nearly 3%. The oil and gas sector, along with telecom, also registered gains around the 1% mark. Other sectors such as pharmaceuticals, real estate, metals, and IT showed moderate but steady rises of approximately 0.5% each. This sectoral strength reflected the broader optimism in the market heading into Diwali and the upcoming Muhurat trading session.
Broader Market Indices
Broader market indices supported the positive trend with the BSE Midcap index rising 0.7%, and the Smallcap index advancing 0.6%. This indicated that investors were also participating beyond the blue-chip stocks, showing confidence in mid and small-cap companies ahead of the festive period.
Impact of Diwali on Market Sentiment
As the market approaches the Diwali festival on October 21, 2025, investor enthusiasm is typically heightened, with many viewing the festival as an auspicious time for investments. The markets will observe a special Muhurat trading session on Diwali day itself, a symbolic tradition meant to usher in prosperity for investors. Regular trading will be closed on October 21, with markets also shut on October 22 for Balipratipada, making October 20 the last full trading day before the holidays.
Technical Outlook
Analysts remain positive on the technical front as Nifty stays above the critical support level of 25,700. The index is expected to maintain an upward trajectory, potentially reaching levels between 26,000 and 26,200 in the short term. Profit booking at higher levels was observed but did not affect the overall optimistic market posture.
Currency and Global Cues
The Indian rupee ended slightly stronger at 87.93 against the US dollar compared to the previous close. Global market trends contributed to the positive start in India, with mixed cues from Asian and US markets tempering volatility but not dampening the overall bullish sentiment.
Sector-wise Performance
The banking sector was a major mover, registering gains of around 0.55% as reflected in the Nifty Bank index closing at 58,033.20. Within banking, private banks and mid-sized financial services displayed strong momentum buoyed by robust Q2 earnings and improved asset quality. The Nifty Midcap 100 gained 0.75%, and the Nifty Next 50 rose modestly by 0.14%, reflecting broader market strength beyond the large caps.
The oil and gas sector also witnessed positive traction with the Nifty Oil & Gas index up 0.27%, largely led by energy heavyweight Reliance Industries which surged over 3.5% post its strong quarterly results. Pharmaceuticals and IT sectors contributed moderately, with gains around 0.5% each, supported by strong stock performances in Cipla and Infosys.
Meanwhile, sectors such as metals and automobiles traded on a cautious note with marginal declines observed in the metals index, reflecting some profit booking. The FMCG and realty sectors provided additional support with steady buying interest amid festive optimism.
Biggest Contributors to the Rally
The market rally was spearheaded by Reliance Industries, which rose 3.61% after reporting a 14.3% year-on-year increase in consolidated net profit for the September quarter, boosted by strong performances from its Jio and retail businesses. HDFC Bank also played a key role, maintaining gains on the back of steady quarterly results and improving asset quality.
Bajaj Finserv and Shriram Finance added to the financial sector’s positive momentum, while Cipla led the pharmaceutical pack with over 4% gains, supported by strong earnings outlooks. Other significant contributors included Bharti Airtel from the telecom sector, Tata Steel in metals, Infosys in IT services, and Larsen & Toubro in infrastructure.
On the flip side, ICICI Bank dragged the broader banking index slightly due to concerns over muted loan growth despite meeting profit estimates, with shares down over 2%. Other laggards included Eternal Ltd in metals and Adani Ports, which saw marginal declines.
Market Sentiment
The sector rotation and selective buying indicate investors’ focus on quality growth stocks and fundamentally strong companies. The positive market breadth, with midcap and smallcap indices also gaining, reinforced the overall bullish sentiment leading up to the Diwali festive season. The rally was further supported by easing global trade tensions and positive foreign fund inflows, contributing to steady investor confidence.
Citations:
[1] Closing Bell: Nifty at 25850, Sensex up 411 pts; IT, oil & … https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/markets/stock-market-live-sensex-nifty-50-share-price-gift-nifty-latest-updates-20-10-2025-liveblog-13624116.html
[2] Stock Market Highlights: RIL helps Sensex, Nifty gain for … https://www.business-standard.com/markets/news/stock-market-live-updates-october-20-nse-bse-sensex-today-nifty-reliance-industries-hdfc-bank-icici-q2results-125102000052_1.html
[3] Top Gainers and Losers on October 20, 2025: Cipla Leads … https://www.angelone.in/news/market-updates/top-gainers-and-losers-on-october-20-2025
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