Daily Market Update - 26th August 2026 by Ventura Securities Ltd
Market Outlook: Indian markets are expected to witness a mildly positive opening, with Gift Nifty gaining 0.11% to 24,507. The Nifty 50 closed at 24,335, up 0.5%, while the Sensex gained 0.4% at 77,656. Market breadth remained weak, with NSE recording 1,672 advances against 1,842 declines and BSE reporting 2,007 advances against 2,330 declines. Among broader indices, Nifty Next 50 gained 0.66%, while Microcap 250, Smallcap 500 and Smallcap 250 declined 0.43%, 0.25% and 0.15%, respectively. Global cues remained supportive, with the S&P 500, Dow Jones and Nasdaq 100 gaining 0.32%, 0.30% and 0.64%, respectively, on 25th August.
FII & DII Activity: Institutional activity remained strongly positive, with FIIs/FPI recording net inflows of RS 1,182 crore, while DIIs remained net buyers with inflows of Rs 2,493 crore on 25th August. Strong domestic institutional buying, along with renewed foreign investor participation, provided support to the market despite weak broader-market breadth.
Sector Activity: Sectoral performance remained broadly positive, led by Nifty Health (+1.1%), Consumer Durables (+0.9%), Pharma (+0.9%), PSU Banks (+0.8%), IT (+0.6%), Services (+0.5%) and Auto (+0.4%). Financial Services, FMCG, Manufacturing and Oil & Gas also gained, while Energy, Metals and Private Banks remained marginally weak.
F&O Activity: Long build-up was witnessed in Voltas, Hindustan Petroleum, L&T, Naukri and Cochin Shipyard, indicating fresh buying interest. Short build-up was observed in Hero MotoCorp, SBI Life, Bandhan Bank, ONGC and CAMS. Long unwinding was seen in Dalmia Bharat, IRFC, Godfrey Phillips, Nippon Life AMC and DMart, whereas short covering emerged in Finnifty, Angel One, Shree Cement, IREDA and Indian Bank.
Top 5 News:
Larsen & Toubro: L&T’s Renewables business secured a Rs 5,000–10,000 crore EPC order for three battery-energy-storage projects in the Middle East, with an aggregate storage capacity of 6 GWh.
Hero MotoCorp: Hero MotoCorp invested Rs 959.99 crore in Ather Energy by subscribing to 76.19 lakh convertible warrants at Rs 1,260 each, strengthening its strategic exposure to the electric two-wheeler segment.
Suzlon Energy: Suzlon secured a 250 MW wind-turbine order from Torrent Green Energy, taking its FY27 order wins to approximately 1.1 GW and cumulative orders from the Torrent Group beyond 1.3 GW.
ACME Solar Holdings: ACME Solar won 300 MW of contracted capacity in SECI’s 1,500 MW assured-peak-power tender at a tariff of Rs 6.00 per unit. The project is expected to require approximately 1,200 MWh of battery storage.
Sudarshan Chemical: Sudarshan Chemical agreed to acquire Clariant’s aluminium-dyes plant in Muttenz, Switzerland, for a base consideration of CHF 7 million plus inventory value, supporting its dyes business and expanding its international manufacturing footprint.
