With two hours left in today’s session, Nifty 50 is holding under the 24,100 mark at 24,053 while crude oil’s climb toward $92 a barrel and rising global bond yields keep sentiment cautious — even as IT heavyweights buck the trend. Here’s your 2 PM markets update.
📈 Afternoon Session: Market Snapshot
Benchmark indices remain in the red through the afternoon session. As of 1 PM, the Sensex was down 342.46 points (-0.44%) at 76,893, while the Nifty 50 slipped 102 points (-0.42%) to 24,052.90 — extending a losing streak that began with a flat, weak open earlier today. The drag has come from rising crude oil prices and escalating Middle East tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, alongside elevated global bond yields. Broader markets are mixed-to-weak, with the BSE Midcap and Smallcap Select indices also trading lower. IT stocks are the standout pocket of strength this afternoon: HCL Tech, Infosys, Eternal, Sun Pharma, and Tech Mahindra are among the top gainers on the Sensex, with HCL Tech leading, up over 1.2%. On the downside, Power Grid and Bajaj Finance are among today’s biggest drags on the index. On institutional flows, the latest available data (August 18) shows FIIs net buyers of ₹1,651.53 crore in cash, while DIIs bought a stronger ₹2,579.31 crore.
₿ Crypto at 2 PM — Live Prices
Bitcoin is trading around $64,728 (about ₹61.5 lakh), up roughly 0.57% on the day, while Ethereum holds near $1,914 (about ₹1.83 lakh), up 0.40%. Sentiment stays mixed: Bitcoin ETFs just logged their largest single-week outflow in six weeks even as the token holds steady, and the SEC’s newly floated “Regulation Crypto” proposal is drawing attention after a scheduled vote meeting was abruptly cancelled days earlier. On the adoption side, Cash App is rolling out crypto purchases via MoonPay, adding ether, solana, and USDT for eligible US users.
💰 Live Rates — 2 PM IST
| Asset | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Nifty 50 | 24,052.90 | -0.42% |
| Sensex | 76,893 | -0.44% |
| Bitcoin (BTC) | ₹61.5L / $64,728 | +0.57% (24hr) |
| Ethereum (ETH) | ₹1.83L / $1,914 | +0.40% (24hr) |
| Gold (10g, 24K) | ₹1,54,970 | Down after 2-day rally |
| Silver (1kg) | ₹2,45,000 | Slightly lower |
| USD/INR | ₹95.81 | +0.16% |
| Crude Oil (Brent) | $91.52 (nearing $92) | +0.55% |
📰 Top 5 Financial News Stories of the Day
- Sensex, Nifty extend losing streak on crude oil surge and Middle East tensions — Both benchmarks opened flat and slid through the day as Brent crude pushed toward $92/barrel amid an unresolved US-Iran standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil chokepoint. Rising energy costs and elevated global bond yields are weighing on risk appetite across sectors.
- IT stocks buck the downtrend, led by HCL Tech and Infosys — Even as the broader market fell, HCL Tech, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Sun Pharma, and Eternal posted gains, with HCL Tech up over 1.2%. The relative strength suggests investors are rotating into IT and pharma as defensive plays amid global uncertainty.
- DIIs outpace FIIs in latest buying activity — Domestic institutional investors bought ₹2,579.31 crore worth of equities on August 18, outpacing FIIs’ ₹1,651.53 crore, even as some FII data shows a net short index-futures position — a signal of hedging or profit-booking after recent gains.
- Bitcoin ETFs see largest weekly outflow in six weeks — Despite BTC holding near $64,700, institutional ETF flows turned negative for the largest stretch since early July, even as retail-facing platforms like Cash App expand crypto access via a new MoonPay integration for US users.
- Gold and silver retreat after a two-day rally — Domestic gold (24K, 10g) eased to ₹1,54,970 and silver to ₹2,45,000/kg, tracking a pullback in global spot prices as elevated bond yields and a fresh selloff in AI-linked equities outweighed support from a softer US dollar.
🌐 Global Markets & Tomorrow’s Outlook
Asian markets are broadly weaker heading into the close, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 down sharply — over 1,750 points, or about 2.6% — as AI-linked stocks extend their pullback from Wall Street’s recent highs. US futures point to continued caution overnight as investors weigh the Strait of Hormuz standoff, elevated bond yields, and upcoming Fed commentary. For Indian investors, tomorrow’s open will likely take cues from how crude oil settles overnight and whether Wall Street’s AI-stock weakness deepens or stabilizes — expect a cautious start unless there’s a clear de-escalation on the geopolitical front.
Data sourced from live market feeds. Last updated: 2:00 PM IST, 19 August 2026. This is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.
