Top Gainers & Losers: Nifty Edges Up; PSUs, Banks Lead Gains, Auto and Consumer Stocks Retreat | 21 Aug 2026, 12:00 PM IST
Key Highlights
The Nifty 50 posted a marginal gain, driven by strong performances in public sector undertakings and financial stocks. Auto and consumer-oriented shares, however, faced selling pressure.
The closed Friday’s session at 24258.70, posting a marginal gain of +0.11%, or +27 pts. The Nifty Bank index also saw positive movement, rising by +0.38%.
Top Gainers
| Company | Price | Change% |
|---|---|---|
| Power Grid Corporation Of India Ltd. | ₹273.45 | +3.27% |
| Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. | ₹403 | +1.42% |
| Bharat Electronics Ltd. | ₹414.35 | +1.21% |
| NTPC Ltd. | ₹341.15 | +1.08% |
| HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd. | ₹547.5 | +1.01% |
| Coal India Ltd. | ₹405.35 | +0.71% |
| Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. | ₹310.85 | +0.70% |
| HDFC Bank Ltd. | ₹729.65 | +0.63% |
| ICICI Bank Ltd. | ₹1418.8 | +0.49% |
| Bharti Airtel Ltd. | ₹1949.6 | +0.41% |
The top gainers list for Friday was significantly influenced by public sector undertakings (PSUs) and banking stocks, reflecting a positive sentiment in these segments. Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. emerged as the leading gainer, surging +3.27% to close at ₹273.45. This strong performance occurred even as the company informed about an investor presentation and despite a reported marginal fall in its Q1 consolidated net profit, though its total consolidated income for Q1FY27 increased by +2.20%. Following closely, Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) advanced +1.21% to ₹414.35, driven by news of securing additional orders worth Rs 541 crore for communication equipment, electro optics, and other defence systems. BEL also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Esri India Technologies for cooperation in surge deployment. The banking sector also showed strength, with Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. rising +1.42% to ₹403, and HDFC Bank Ltd. and ICICI Bank Ltd. also posting gains of +0.63% and +0.49% respectively. Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. had informed about an investor presentation and newspaper publication. Other notable PSU performers included NTPC Ltd., up +1.08%, and Coal India Ltd., gaining +0.71%, alongside Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) which rose +0.70%. HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd. also contributed to the financial sector’s positive day, closing up +1.01%.
Top Losers
| Company | Price | Change% |
|---|---|---|
| Hero MotoCorp Ltd. | ₹5668.5 | −1.25% |
| Interglobe Aviation Ltd. | ₹5101.5 | −1.23% |
| Trent Ltd. | ₹2942.8 | −0.92% |
| Tata Consumer Products Ltd. | ₹1047.4 | −0.84% |
| Bajaj Auto Ltd. | ₹11701 | −0.78% |
| Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. | ₹13702 | −0.77% |
| Cipla Ltd. | ₹1427.1 | −0.76% |
| Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd. | ₹8670 | −0.74% |
| Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. | ₹1891 | −0.68% |
| ITC Ltd. | ₹269.9 | −0.64% |
Conversely, the losing side of the market saw significant pressure on auto manufacturers and consumer-oriented stocks. Hero MotoCorp Ltd. was the top decliner, falling −1.25% to ₹5668.5. This decline was mirrored by other major auto players, with Bajaj Auto Ltd. shedding −0.78% and Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. down −0.77%, indicating a sector-wide weakness. The aviation sector also faced headwinds, as Interglobe Aviation Ltd. (INDIGO) dropped −1.23% to ₹5101.5. Consumer discretionary and staple stocks like Trent Ltd. and Tata Consumer Products Ltd. also experienced declines of −0.92% and −0.84% respectively. Furthermore, the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors showed a cautious trend, with Cipla Ltd. falling −0.76%, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd. down −0.74%, and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. declining −0.68%. ITC Ltd., a diversified conglomerate with significant FMCG presence, also closed lower by −0.64%.
The mixed performance across sectors, with PSUs and financials gaining while autos and consumer stocks faced pressure, suggests a selective market sentiment on Friday.