CHENNAI: Indian equity markets ended higher on Tuesday, July 30, supported by strong quarterly earnings from companies such as L&T, NTPC, and Asian Paints. However, overall gains remained limited as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decision and ongoing ambiguity over a potential India-U.S. trade deal.
The BSE Sensex closed at 81,481.86, up 143.9 points or 0.18 percent, while the NSE Nifty50 settled at 24,855.05, gaining 33.95 points or 0.14 percent.
Among the top performers, L&T led the rally after posting a 30 percent year-on-year rise in net profit to ₹3,617 crore for Q1FY26, alongside new order inflows of over ₹94,000 crore. NTPC also gained, reporting an 11 percent increase in profit to ₹6,108 crore despite lower revenue, while Asian Paints managed to cushion a 6 percent year-on-year drop in profit with a 59 percent sequential recovery.
On the Sensex, the leading gainers were L&T, Sun Pharma, NTPC, Maruti Suzuki, Bharti Airtel, and Trent. In contrast, Tata Motors fell over 3 percent amid concerns about its global business exposure, while Bajaj Finserv, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Power Grid, and HUL also ended in the red.
Sectorally, IT, FMCG, and pharma stocks witnessed modest gains, while realty and auto stocks declined, with the Nifty Realty index falling 0.96 percent and Nifty Auto down 0.6 percent. In the broader market, the Nifty MidCap 100 index slipped 0.07 percent, and the Nifty SmallCap 100 index dropped 0.52 percent, indicating some pressure beyond frontline stocks.
India VIX, which tracks market volatility expectations, closed 2.77 percent lower at 11.21, reflecting easing investor anxiety.
Globally, markets were subdued as traders awaited cues from the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy announcement. While no rate change is expected, commentary on inflation and growth outlook may influence investor sentiment. Uncertainty over the trajectory of the India-U.S. trade agreement also weighed on market confidence.
Looking ahead, analysts suggest that Nifty is likely to find near-term support around 24,750. As long as this level holds, the index may make another attempt to test the 25,000 mark. However, without strong global triggers, market momentum could remain range-bound in the near term.