Market Wrap: Nifty & Sensex Hit 52-Week Highs as Bulls Reign (20 November)

Indian equity markets continued their upward march for the second straight day on Thursday, November 20, 2025. Strong global cues, fuelled by positive news from the US tech sector, and renewed buying from Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) propelled the benchmark Nifty 50 and Sensex to fresh 52-week highs.

This daily market wrap provides a concise summary for investors and traders, covering today’s key index movements, top-performing stocks, major market news, and the latest updates from the IPO market.

Table of Contents

1. Today's Market Performance at a Glance
2. Top Movers: Gainers and Losers on the Nifty 50
3. What’s Driving the Market? Key News and Triggers
4. IPO Market Update: A Weak Listing and Strong Subscriptions
5. What to Expect Tomorrow
6. FAQs

Today's Market Performance at a Glance

The rally was primarily led by large-cap stocks, while the broader market saw some profit booking.

While the main indices soared, the Bank Nifty ended slightly in the red. Mid-cap and Small-cap indices also underperformed as investors shifted focus to the perceived safety of large-cap stocks.

Top Movers: Gainers and Losers on the Nifty 50

The auto and financial sectors were the primary drivers of the rally, while some consumer durables and IT stocks faced pressure.

Top Gainers 

• Eicher Motors (+3.31%): Hit a record high on the back of a strong festive sales outlook.

• Bajaj Finance (+2.30%): Saw renewed buying interest amid positive sentiment for NBFCs.

• Bajaj Finserv (+2.29%): Gained in tandem with its sister company, Bajaj Finance.

• Reliance Industries (+2.01%): Heavyweight buying in the stock provided a significant lift to the entire index.

• Tech Mahindra (+1.82%): Benefited from the positive sentiment in US tech stocks following Nvidia's strong results.

Top Losers 

• Asian Paints (-1.16%): The stock remained under pressure due to ongoing concerns about slowing volume growth.

• HCL Tech (-1.09%): Witnessed profit booking after a recent run-up in its share price.

• Titan (-0.84%): Muted demand commentary from the management weighed on the stock.

• Hindustan Unilever (-0.52%): The broader FMCG sector continued to face headwinds.

• ONGC (-0.48%): Corrected slightly, tracking volatility in global crude oil prices.

What’s Driving the Market? Key News and Triggers

Several key factors contributed to today's positive market sentiment:

• The 'Nvidia Effect': Global markets were buoyed by Nvidia's strong quarterly earnings, which beat expectations and reassured investors about the ongoing AI boom. This had a positive spillover effect on select Indian tech stocks.

• NTPC Green Energy in Focus: The company signed a significant MoU with Singareni Collieries to develop renewable energy projects, including Solar, Wind, and Green Hydrogen.

• FIIs Turn Net Buyers: Foreign Institutional Investors were net buyers in the previous session, adding liquidity and boosting market confidence.

• India-US Trade Hopes: Sentiment was also supported by optimism surrounding the "Phase-1" trade agreement discussions between India and the US.

IPO Market Update: A Weak Listing and Strong Subscriptions

1. New Listing Today

• Fujiyama Power Systems: The stock had a weak debut on the exchanges. It listed at ₹220 on the NSE, a discount of approximately 3.5% to its issue price of ₹228, and closed the day with further cuts.

2. Active IPOs (Subscription Status)

• Excelsoft Technologies (Mainboard): The issue is seeing strong demand, having been subscribed to approximately 6 times overall on its second day. The grey market premium (GMP) suggests a potential listing gain of 12-13%.

• Gallard Steel (SME): This IPO has been massively oversubscribed, booked around 34.6 times overall. Its GMP indicates a potential upside of about 26%.

What to Expect Tomorrow

The market's overall structure remains positive, with the Nifty comfortably trading above the 26,000 level. However, the underperformance of the broader market suggests a shift towards large-cap stocks. The key level to watch tomorrow will be in the Bank Nifty; if it can reclaim the 59,500 mark, it could trigger the next leg of the rally.

FAQs

1. Why did the stock market hit a new 52-week high today?
The market reached a new high due to a combination of strong global cues (led by Nvidia's results), renewed buying from FIIs, and positive sentiment in large-cap stocks, particularly in the auto and financial sectors.

2. Which were the top-performing stocks today?
The top gainers on the Nifty 50 were Eicher Motors, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, Reliance Industries, and Tech Mahindra.

3. How did the Fujiyama Power Systems IPO perform on its listing day?
Fujiyama Power Systems had a weak listing. The stock debuted at a discount of around 3.5% to its issue price and closed the day lower.

4. What is the subscription status of the Excelsoft Technologies IPO?
The Excelsoft Technologies IPO has seen strong demand, with an overall subscription of approximately 4.6 times by the end of its second day.

5. Why did Bank Nifty close in the red when the market was up?
Bank Nifty's underperformance was likely due to sector-specific profit booking or consolidation after its recent run-up to an all-time high in the previous session.