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Market Pulse

Stock Market Today 18 Sep 2026: NIFTY Edges Up Amid Infrastructure Rally

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📊 Market Summary

The NIFTY index closed modestly higher by 0.33% at 23,346.40, supported by a bullish market bias among the ~220 actively traded F&O stocks, with 143 advancing and 48 declining. Bank NIFTY also gained 0.54%, closing at 56,358.70. The market saw strong participation with 190 stocks experiencing volume surges above 1.5 times their average.

🏆 Top Gainers & Losers

Top Gainers% ChangeSectorNotes
SUPREMEIND+7.05%InfrastructureStrong buying tail, 7.1x volume
UNOMINDA+6.56%AutomobileOpen rejection upwards, buying tail
RVNL+6.24%InfrastructureOpen rejection upwards, buying tail
APLAPOLLO+5.66%InfrastructureNeutral extended up day, 3.6x volume
ADANIPORTS+4.93%DiversifiedTrend up day, 3.8x volume
Top Losers% ChangeSectorNotes
INDIAVIX-7.40%DiversifiedTrend down day, no volume surge
KPITTECH-4.88%Information TechnologyNormal varied down day, 5.7x volume
TCS-3.88%Information TechnologyNormal day, 4.0x volume
TATAELXSI-3.40%Information TechnologyNormal varied down, 3.5x volume
TMPV-3.02%AutomobileNormal varied down, 3.5x volume

🏭 Sector Scorecard

SectorAverage % ChangeNumber of Stocks
Infrastructure+2.65%26
Cement+1.88%4
Chemicals+1.60%5
Realty+1.59%6
Energy & Oil+1.22%17
Banking & Finance+1.20%55
FMCG+1.07%14
Automobile+0.94%16
Metals & Mining+0.70%10
Diversified+0.62%35
Pharmaceuticals+0.61%16
Telecom+0.45%3
Information Technology-1.21%13

💰 FII/DII Activity

On 18 September 2026, the futures and options activity from Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) and Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) showed some interesting trends that retail traders should keep an eye on.

FIIs maintained a bullish sentiment with a modest net long position in futures of 212,367 contracts. This means FIIs are slightly optimistic about the market's near-term direction. Their total long positions across futures and options stood at 6,150,334 contracts, compared to total shorts of 5,636,299, resulting in a net positive position of 514,035 contracts.

On the other hand, DIIs also showed a bullish sentiment but with a contrasting futures picture. They held a significant net short position in futures, with 4,220,624 more short contracts than long. This suggests DIIs might be hedging or cautious in the futures segment. Overall, their total positions were heavily skewed to the short side, with a net negative of 4,535,129 contracts.

For retail traders, this mixed activity means FIIs are slightly optimistic, potentially driving upward momentum, while DIIs are more cautious or defensive in futures. Watching how these positions evolve can give clues about market direction and volatility.

Participant Futures Long Futures Short Futures Net Position
FII 3,496,907 3,284,540 212,367
DII 406,656 4,627,280 -4,220,624

📰 News That Moved Markets

  • India's 'anti-AI' tag challenged as 42 AI enabler stocks surged 60%, boosting tech optimism despite IT sector weakness.
  • Sensex and Nifty rally on easing oil prices and positive global cues, with Nifty nearing 23,350.
  • NSE’s $2.4 Billion India IPO fully subscribed on the second day, highlighting strong primary market activity.
  • Geopolitical tensions and rising oil prices weighed on markets yesterday but eased today, supporting the rally.

📈 Volume & Smart Money Signals

Volume surged significantly in 190 stocks, indicating broad market participation. High delivery percentages were seen in stocks like PIDILITIND (70.2%), MANKIND (69.2%), and NHPC (69.0%), suggesting strong institutional interest. Several top gainers showed aggressive buying tails and open drive moves, signaling confident buying from smart money.

🔮 Under the Hood: Market Structure

Today’s market structure showed a Neutral Center day type for both NIFTY and Bank NIFTY, indicating balanced trading around the previous day’s fair value zone. The opening was mostly within yesterday’s value area for 135 stocks, with 27 gap ups and 46 opening above the previous day’s fair value zone high (VAH).

There were 40 instances of a strong directional move from the opening bell (open drive up) and 7 open drive downs, reflecting early bullish momentum. Buying tails (aggressive buying at the day’s lows) appeared in 83 stocks, outnumbering selling tails (heavy selling at highs) seen in 38 stocks, confirming underlying demand.

The most-traded price level (Point of Control) for NIFTY was at 23,330.80, slightly below the day’s close of 23,346.40, while the fair value zone (value area) ranged between 23,290.80 and 23,330.80. This suggests that most trading activity was concentrated near the upper half of the fair value zone, supporting a mild bullish bias.

Single prints, representing rapid price moves with little trading, were more frequent on the upside (10) than downside (2), indicating potential for further upward exploration.

⚡ F&O Highlights

Four stocks were in the F&O ban list today: BANDHANBNK, INOXWIND, MANAPPURAM, and SAIL, restricting fresh positions in these names.

📅 Upcoming Events

The next weekly F&O expiry is scheduled for 22 September 2026, followed by the monthly expiry on 29 September 2026. No major corporate results or macroeconomic events are expected in the immediate days ahead.

🎯 Stocks to Watch Tomorrow

  • SUPREMEIND – Strong volume and buying tail suggest continuation of upside momentum.
  • UNOMINDA – Notable open rejection upwards and volume spike could lead to further gains.
  • ADANIPORTS – Trend up day with high volume makes it a key stock to monitor.
  • PIDILITIND – High delivery percentage indicates institutional interest worth watching.
  • KPITTECH – Despite today’s decline, high volume signals potential for a rebound or further volatility.

📐 Key Levels for Tomorrow

IndexSupportResistanceFair Value Zone
NIFTY23,290.80 (Value Area Low)23,389.15 (Day High)23,290.80 to 23,330.80
BANKNIFTY56,100.00 (Value Area Low)56,497.45 (Day High)56,100.00 to 56,300.00

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happened in the stock market on 18 September 2026?

The NIFTY index rose 0.33% to close at 23,346.40, supported by broad gains in infrastructure and banking sectors. Among ~220 actively traded F&O stocks, 143 advanced while 48 declined, with strong volume surges indicating bullish market participation.

Which stocks gained the most today?

Top gainers included Supreme Industries (+7.05%), Unominda (+6.56%), RVNL (+6.24%), APL Apollo (+5.66%), and Adani Ports (+4.93%). These stocks showed strong volume and buying interest.

Did FIIs buy or sell today?

FII data is available as of 17 September 2026, showing a modest net long futures position of 249,524 contracts. However, overall FII sentiment was bearish, while DIIs remained bullish with a net short futures position.

What are the key NIFTY levels for tomorrow?

Support is at 23,290.80 (value area low), resistance near 23,389.15 (day high), with the fair value zone between 23,290.80 and 23,330.80.

What does today's market structure indicate?

The market showed a Neutral Center day type with most trading within the previous day's fair value zone. Early strong upward moves and more buying tails than selling tails suggest underlying bullishness, while the most-traded price level remained near the upper half of the fair value zone.

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