Morning Brief: Nifty Dips 0.32% to 24,287; FIIs Net Sell ₹2,535 Cr Amid Global Cues | 18 Aug 2026, 08:15 AM IST
By ThePip Desk
Indian equities saw a decline with Nifty closing at 24,287.65, as FIIs turned net sellers. Domestic institutions provided support, while IT stocks led losses.
Indian equity benchmarks closed lower on Monday, with the Nifty 50 declining by -0.32% to 24,287.65. The market sentiment was weighed down by elevated crude oil prices and ongoing uncertainty surrounding the US-Iran conflict. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) provided crucial support to the market.
Market Snapshot
| Index | Last |
|---|---|
| Nifty 50 | 24,287.65 (-0.32%) |
| Nifty Bank | 57,497.80 (+0.01%) |
| NIFTY Midcap 100 | 63,817.00 (+0.05%) |
Institutional Flows
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) turned net sellers on Monday, offloading equities worth ₹2,535.1 crore. In contrast, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) remained strong buyers, injecting ₹5,101.46 crore into the market, cushioning the overall decline.
| Date | FII Net (₹ Cr) | DII Net (₹ Cr) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-17 | -2535.10 | 5101.46 |
| 2026-08-14 | 508.12 | 356.40 |
| 2026-08-13 | -510.69 | 4353.09 |
| 2026-08-12 | -1002.50 | 5841.66 |
| 2026-08-11 | 258.55 | 24.77 |
Sector Performance
Nifty Realty emerged as the top-performing sector, while IT stocks faced significant selling pressure.
| Sector | Last |
|---|---|
| Nifty Realty | 908.70 (+1.46%) |
| Nifty Financial Services | 26,217.15 (+0.01%) |
| Nifty Auto | 29,178.10 (-0.10%) |
| Nifty PSU Bank | 8,706.20 (-0.37%) |
| Nifty Pharma | 26,341.55 (-0.39%) |
| Nifty FMCG | 48,105.05 (-1.05%) |
| Nifty IT | 30,807.80 (-1.75%) |
Top Movers
| Symbol | Company | Last |
|---|---|---|
| Gainers | ||
| HINDALCO | Hindalco Industries Ltd. | 1,049.90 (+1.98%) |
| TATASTEEL | Tata Steel Ltd. | 186.00 (+1.36%) |
| HDFCLIFE | HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd. | 543.00 (+1.33%) |
| ONGC | Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. | 238.49 (+0.88%) |
| AXISBANK | Axis Bank Ltd. | 1,227.30 (+0.81%) |
| Losers | ||
| HCLTECH | HCL Technologies Ltd. | 1,325.00 (-2.57%) |
| INFY | Infosys Ltd. | 1,139.90 (-2.51%) |
| SUNPHARMA | Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. | 1,882.00 (-2.49%) |
| TCS | Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. | 2,313.20 (-2.02%) |
| NESTLEIND | Nestle India Ltd. | 1,470.00 (-1.94%) |
Global Cues
US markets closed lower on Friday, influenced by weaker-than-expected retail sales and consumer sentiment data. Conversely, most Asian markets traded higher on Monday, with Japan’s economy growing faster than forecast in the April-June quarter. Soft US economic data also tempered expectations for a US interest rate hike, boosting technology shares.
Currency / Forex
The Indian rupee weakened against the US dollar on Monday, closing at 95.61 (Provisional), weaker by 19 paise from its previous close.
Bond / Debt Markets
Bond yields traded higher on Monday, with the yields on the new 10-year Government Stock rising 5 basis points to 6.81%.
Economy / Macro
- India’s current account deficit (CAD) widened to $6.2 billion in June, primarily driven by a larger merchandise trade deficit.
- A NITI Aayog report highlighted the need for a focused strategy to position India as a global manufacturing hub by 2047, identifying chemicals, textiles, telecom, and solar PV manufacturing as key pathways.
- India and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) signed the Terms of Reference (ToR) for negotiations towards a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), aiming to strengthen trade and economic engagement.
Inflation
- India’s wholesale price index (WPI) inflation showed a mild cooling in July, easing to 9.78% from 9.87% in June.
- Retail inflation, measured by the CPI, rose to 4.45% in July, marking the sixth consecutive monthly increase, with food inflation jumping to 5.52%.
RBI / Policy
- The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) concessional swap facility has mobilised $56.84 billion in forex inflows as of August 13, with the facility for Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) [FCNR(B)] deposits available until August 31.
- Government data indicated that India’s manufacturing sector contributes 16-17% of GDP and employs over 27 million workers, bolstered by reforms under the ‘Make in India’ vision.
- The commerce ministry reported robust growth in India’s exports to key free trade agreement (FTA) partner countries in Q1FY27, with shipments to Singapore and Sri Lanka more than doubling.
Company News & Stock Alerts
- Minda Corporation: Its Board approved an investment of up to ₹18 crore in Spark Minda Toyodenso India.
- Lupin: Received final USFDA approval for its Pitolisant Tablets, 4.45 mg and 17.8 mg.
- Mini Diamonds (India): Secured an order worth ₹14.25 crore.
- DMR Engineering: Received a Letter of Award for appointment as Project Management Agency for the 1500MW Tarali Pumped Storage Project in Maharashtra.
- Hazoor Multi Projects: Awarded a Letter of Award by NHAI for user fee collection at Madangundi Fee Plaza.
- Gulshan Polyols: Bagged an order worth ₹146.66 crore for an additional allocation of 20,740 Kiloliters of Ethanol.
- Physicswallah: Reported a narrowed consolidated net loss in Q1FY27, with total income increasing by 28.90% to ₹1,162.81 crore.
- Sharika Enterprises: Secured an order worth ₹1.78 crore from LS Cable India for the supply of OPGW Cable.
IPO Watch
Several IPOs are currently open or opening today, offering diverse investment opportunities:
- Horizon Industrial Parks Ltd. (Open: Aug 17-19, Price Band: ₹57-60)
- Lalithaa Jewellery Mart Ltd. (Open: Aug 17-19, Price Band: ₹190-201)
- Skytech Infinite Platform Ltd. (Open: Aug 14-18, Price Band: ₹73-77)
- Technocrats Plasma Systems Ltd. (Open: Aug 14-18, Price Band: ₹125-132)
- ENS Enterprises Ltd. (Open: Aug 14-18, Price Band: ₹87-92)
- Fascinate Textiles Ltd. (Open: Aug 11-19, Price Band: ₹142-151)
- Shankesh Jewellers Ltd. (Opening Today: Aug 18-20, Price Band: ₹88-93)
- Sunshine Pictures Ltd. (Opening Today: Aug 18-20, Price Band: ₹342-360)
- Gaja Alternative Asset Management Ltd. (Upcoming: Aug 19-21, Price Band: ₹152-160)
- Dhanwel Hybrid Seeds Ltd. (Upcoming: Aug 19-21, Price Band: ₹95-99)
- Mopshop Distribution Ltd. (Upcoming: Aug 19-21, Price Band: ₹138)
Mutual Fund News
- HDFC Mutual Fund announced the IDCW record date under its Arbitrage Fund.
- Quant Mutual Fund introduced a new Silver ETF, with its New Fund Offer (NFO) open for subscription from August 17 to August 19.
- Quant Mutual Fund also launched an Income Plus Arbitrage Active Fund of Fund (FOF), with the NFO open from August 17 to August 31.
Despite FII selling, DIIs provided robust support, highlighting the resilience of domestic capital in mitigating global headwinds.
The widening current account deficit and rising retail inflation remain key macroeconomic indicators for your portfolio to monitor.