Closing Bell, 18 August 2026: D-Street Ends In The Red

Benchmarks continued their losing streak on Tuesday with both the Sensex and Nifty 50 closing in the red. At the closing bell, the:

• Sensex stood at 77,235.46, down 0.63%

• Nifty 50 stood at 24,154.90, down 0.55%

In the broader markets, the Nifty Midcap 100 declined 0.43%. The Nifty Smallcap 100 was flat. Sector-wise, the Nifty IT and Nifty Realty declined. On the other hand, the Nifty Auto and Nifty Pharma outperformed (see table).

Nifty 50 Today: Gainers And Losers

Stocks of the following companies emerged as the top five gainers and losers on the Nifty 50 index today:

Gold And Silver Prices Today

Gold and silver declined due to profit booking on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) amid rising oil prices. At 15:38, MCX gold prices for October futures stood at ₹1,55,260 per 10 grams, down 0.44%. MCX silver prices for September futures during the same time stood at ₹2,35,369 per kg, down 1.13%.

Other Important Headlines

Some of the other major headlines of the day are as follows:

• The Defence Ministry has launched the sixth indigenisation list that has 405 items. These items will only be sourced from Indian suppliers.

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has eased the process of launching a mutual fund. It has introduced a single consolidated application form for registration, replacing the existing multi-stage process.

Crude Oil Prices Today

Crude oil prices climbed above $91 per barrel in early trading with fading hopes of a truce in the Middle East. At around 15:38, Brent crude oil October futures stood at $90.89 per barrel. At the same time, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil October futures stood at $84.15 per barrel.

What’s Next?

Markets are likely to remain cautious in the upcoming trading sessions. High crude oil prices could continue to weigh on investor sentiment. Analysts opine that market participants can opt for stock-specific and sectoral opportunities over broad-based buying.

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