Midday Market Update: Nifty Holds Above 25,280 as Energy and Aviation Stocks Lift Sentiment; Banks Weigh on Indices

Indian equity benchmarks traded with mild gains in Tuesday’s midday session, with the Nifty 50 hovering above the 25,280 mark as buying interest in select energy, power and aviation stocks offset weakness in banking and FMCG counters. Markets reflected a cautious but stable undertone, supported by stock-specific action rather than broad-based momentum.

Also Read: January 20, 2026: Nifty Slumps Over 350 Points to Close Near 25,232; Broader Markets Witness Sharp Sell-Off

Nifty 50 Trades Firm; Range-Bound Session So Far

As of 13:00 IST on 21 January 2026, the Nifty 50 stood at 25,280.50, up 48 points (0.19%).

• Open: 25,141.00

• Day’s High: 25,294.40

• Day’s Low: 24,919.80

The index witnessed early volatility but managed to recover steadily, suggesting buying on dips near the 24,900 zone. However, upside remained capped near the 25,300 resistance, indicating a phase of consolidation.

Broader Indices Show Mixed Performance

Performance across key sectoral and broader indices remained uneven:

• Nifty Next 50: 67,203.80 (+0.14%)

• Nifty Financial Services: 27,139.15 (-0.23%)

• Nifty Bank: 59,155.35 (-0.42%)

The underperformance of banking and financial stocks continued to restrict sharper gains in the headline indices.

Top Gainers: Eternal, Indigo Lead the Rally

Buying interest was visible in select large-cap and high-volume stocks:

• Eternal: ₹285.55, +5.92%

• IndiGo (INDIGO): ₹4,918.50, +2.68%

• Power Grid (POWERGRID): ₹258.70, +1.83%

• UltraTech Cement (ULTRACEMCO): ₹12,277.00, +1.81%

• ONGC: ₹244.32, +1.63%

The strong move in Eternal and IndiGo stood out, supported by healthy volumes, while gains in ONGC and Power Grid provided stability from the energy and infrastructure space.

Top Losers: Banking and Consumption Stocks Under Pressure

Weakness was concentrated in private banks and select consumer-facing stocks:

• ICICI Bank: ₹1,357.20, -1.35%

• Apollo Hospitals: ₹6,845.00, -0.98%

• Trent: ₹3,799.50, -0.95%

• BEL: ₹405.50, -0.94%

• Tata Consumer Products: ₹1,176.50, -0.72%

The decline in heavyweight ICICI Bank notably dragged the Nifty Bank index lower, limiting broader market upside.

Market View: Stock-Specific Action Dominates

The current session reflects a market in consolidation mode after recent highs, with investors adopting a selective approach. Defensive buying in energy and infrastructure is balancing profit-taking in financials. Traders are closely watching the 25,300–25,350 zone on the upside and 24,900 as immediate support.

Conclusion

Indian markets remain resilient but lack strong directional momentum at midday. With sectoral rotation clearly visible, stock-specific strategies are likely to outperform broad index bets in the near term. The next trigger for markets may emerge from global cues, institutional flows, and upcoming corporate earnings commentary.

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