Post Market, 20 March 2026: Markets Close Higher, Oil Eases, Rupee Still Weak

Indian equities ended higher on Friday, with benchmarks extending their recent recovery as oil prices eased and global cues turned a bit more stable.

Even so, with the rupee still under pressure and global developments in focus, investors stayed cautious despite the positive close.

Closing Bell

• Sensex went up 326 points to close above 74,500

• Nifty 50 jumped 112 points and closed at 23,114.5

Broader Markets

Parts of the broader market also saw a slight recovery during the session, following the rebound in benchmark indices.

• The Nifty Midcap 100 index gained 0.67%

• The Nifty Smallcap 100 almost remained flat with a 0.09% gain

The modest move in midcaps and flat trend in smallcaps point to selective buying. Broader market participation still appears cautious despite the recovery.

What Moved The Markets Today?

Markets took cues largely from global developments on Friday, with some stability returning after the sharp moves seen in the previous session.

Crude oil remained at the centre of it. Prices eased during the day after hitting their highest levels since July 2022 on Thursday. Brent crude declined 1.01% to $107.57 a barrel. The pullback comes after a sharp spike in the previous session, when Brent had surged as high as $119.13 a barrel following attacks on energy infrastructure in the Middle East, which had unsettled global markets.

The tone improved slightly as geopolitical signals turned less aggressive. Comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, indicating no immediate escalation, helped steady sentiment, which was also reflected in the way US markets recovered from their lows, and Asian markets traded through the day.

Back home, the currency, however, has remained a pressure point. The rupee slipped to around ₹92.92 against the US dollar. It did recover a bit later, but the overall sentiment remains weak, with foreign outflows continuing to weigh on it.

Overall, the easing in oil prices and a relatively steadier global backdrop helped markets regain some ground after Thursday’s volatility, even though the broader mood remains cautious.

Talking of sectoral indices, media, private bank and realty have seen a downfall. Most of the others were green with auto, IT, metal, pharma and PSU Bank gaining 1-2%.

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Commodities Watch: Gold And Silver

Gold and silver saw a recovery on Friday after the previous session’s decline, with prices moving higher through the day as overall market sentiment improved. The uptick in gold was partly attributed to indications of some cooling in tensions in West Asia, which helped bring back buying interest in bullion.

In early trade (09:44 IST), gold futures on the MCX were trading at ₹1,47,557 per 10 grams, up 1.8%, while silver gained 2.69% to ₹2,37,681 per kg.

By the afternoon session (13:57 IST), the upward move gathered pace. Gold climbed ₹3,349, or 2.31%, to ₹1,48,303 per 10 grams on the MCX, while silver advanced ₹5,646, or 2.44%, to ₹2,37,106 per kg.

By the close (15:34 IST), gold futures gained ₹1,646, to ₹1,46,400 per 10 grams, while silver futures went up by ₹1,754, to ₹2,33,214 per kg. The movement was largely in line with international trends, where Comex gold and silver also showed some recovery.

What Should Investors Watch Next?

Markets recovered after Thursday’s sharp reaction, with some support coming from softer oil prices and comments from global leaders. That said, with fresh strikes in West Asia still in play, the situation remains uncertain.

What happens next will depend on how the conflict evolves, along with moves in oil prices, the rupee and foreign flows, all of which are still far from settled.

Sources:

MoneyControl

Business Standard

Live Mint