Pre-Market Brief: Nifty 50 Climbs Past 24,200 Mark; DIIs Drive Buying Ahead of Friday Open | 21 Aug 2026, 08:00 AM IST
By ThePip Desk
Indian equities closed higher Thursday, Nifty 50 up 154 points to 24231.85. DIIs continued strong buying, offsetting FII outflows. Traders watch for momentum at the 9:15 AM open.
Good morning, traders. Based on 20 August 2026 closing prices, the Indian equity markets concluded Thursday’s session with notable positive gains across key indices, setting a buoyant tone for Friday’s open. The benchmark Nifty 50 led the advance, climbing +154 points, or +0.64%, to settle firmly at 24231.85. This upward movement indicates sustained investor confidence, particularly as the index holds above the 24,200 mark.
The broader market also participated in the rally. The Nifty Bank index posted a gain of +256 points, closing at 57495.90, a +0.45% increase. Similarly, the NIFTY Midcap 100 index advanced by +263 points, or +0.41%, to reach 63671.55. The consistent performance across large-cap and mid-cap segments suggests a healthy market breadth.
Index Snapshot
| Index | Close | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Nifty 50 | 24231.85 | +0.64% |
| Nifty Bank | 57495.90 | +0.45% |
| NIFTY Midcap 100 | 63671.55 | +0.41% |
FII and DII Activity
On Thursday, 20 August 2026, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) registered net selling of equities worth −₹583.36 crore. This follows two sessions of FII buying, with net inflows of +₹407.99 crore on August 19 and +₹1651.53 crore on August 18. Over the last five sessions, FII activity has been mixed, showing no consecutive sell sessions.
Conversely, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) maintained their strong market support, recording substantial net inflows of +₹3537.71 crore on Thursday. DIIs have been consistent net buyers across all five recent trading sessions, with significant contributions including +₹3973.72 crore on August 19 and +₹5101.46 crore on August 17. This sustained domestic liquidity continues to be a key factor in underpinning market stability amidst fluctuating FII flows.
Top Movers
Among individual stocks, Eternal Ltd. (ETERNAL) led the gainers, surging +2.48% to ₹327.95. Shriram Finance Ltd. (SHRIRAMFIN) also saw strong upward movement, closing +2.01% higher at ₹1128.2. Other notable gainers included Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. (KOTAKBANK) with a +1.82% rise, ITC Ltd. (ITC) up +1.72%, and Bajaj Finance Ltd. (BAJFINANCE) gaining +1.37%.
On the downside, Tata Consumer Products Ltd. (TATACONSUM) experienced the steepest decline, falling −1.10% to ₹1056.3. Hindalco Industries Ltd. (HINDALCO) was down −0.88%, while Interglobe Aviation Ltd. (INDIGO) dipped −0.54%. HCL Technologies Ltd. (HCLTECH) and Nestle India Ltd. (NESTLEIND) both closed −0.48% lower.
What to Watch at 9:15 AM
As the market prepares for the 9:15 AM open on Friday, traders will closely monitor the continuation of DII buying interest and global cues to assess the immediate direction of the indices and individual stock movements.