With the afternoon session in full swing, Nifty 50 is holding firm near 24,280 while Sensex extends its rally past 77,700, and Bitcoin trades close to $75,500 (₹72.3 lakh) on the back of fresh spot-ETF inflows. Here’s your 2 PM markets update.
📈 Afternoon Session: Market Snapshot
Indian benchmark indices sustained their overnight rally into Friday’s session. The BSE Sensex opened with a gain of 163.35 points (+0.21%) at 77,701.07, while the Nifty 50 started the day up 52.2 points at 24,284.05, holding near the 24,300 mark through the morning and into the afternoon. By mid-morning, Sensex was up 82.30 points (+0.11%) at 77,620.02 and Nifty was 18.65 points higher (+0.08%) at 24,250.50, as benchmarks consolidated gains amid mixed global cues. Eternal was among the standout gainers, while Nifty MidCap and SmallCap indices also traded firm. India VIX has cooled sharply in recent sessions, suggesting easing volatility expectations. On the institutional side, FIIs were net sellers of ₹583.40 crore in the cash segment in the prior session (August 20), continuing a cautious stance even as DIIs provided support. Broader sentiment remains constructive, with Brent crude’s approach toward $94 and firmer US bond yields being watched as swing factors for the rest of the week.
₿ Crypto at 2 PM — Live Prices
Bitcoin is trading around $75,541 (₹72.3 lakh), extending its rebound as spot Bitcoin ETFs pulled in $606 million in fresh inflows on August 20 — the strongest single-day haul in weeks. Ethereum has climbed alongside it to roughly $2,300–$2,350 (₹2.20–2.25 lakh), up about 3.7% over 24 hours, with spot ether ETFs adding a further $221 million. Elsewhere in crypto, BNB gained over 3% on renewed institutional and regulatory tailwinds, XRP jumped as much as 15% on fresh on-chain activity, and smaller tokens like SPX6900 and Pump.fun posted sharp double-digit rallies on social-media-driven momentum. The SEC’s newly floated “Regulation Crypto” proposal remains a key overhang for the sector heading into the weekend.
💰 Live Rates — 2 PM IST
| Asset | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Nifty 50 | ~24,280 | +0.2% (from prev close) |
| Sensex | ~77,700 | +0.21% |
| Bitcoin (BTC) | ₹72.3L / $75,541 | Extending rally |
| Ethereum (ETH) | ₹2.22L / ~$2,320 | +3.7% (24hr) |
| Gold (10g, 24K) | ₹1,59,280 | Near 2-month highs |
| Silver (1kg) | ₹2,55,000 | +0.9% |
| USD/INR | ₹95.64 | -0.11% |
| Crude Oil (Brent) | $93.15 | +1.67% |
📰 Top 5 Financial News Stories of the Day
- Sensex, Nifty extend rally into a second session — Benchmarks opened higher and held gains through the afternoon on mixed global cues, with Eternal and Shriram Finance leading the charge. Investors’ wealth has risen sharply over the past two sessions as risk appetite improves.
- Gold surges toward two-month peak — Bullion prices climbed after the US Treasury announced bolstered liquidity measures, pushing 24K gold rates in India above ₹1.59 lakh per 10 grams. Analysts flag this as a flight-to-safety move amid global bond market jitters.
- Spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs see biggest inflows in weeks — $606 million flowed into spot BTC ETFs and $221 million into ETH funds on August 20, confirming renewed institutional appetite and helping Bitcoin push back toward $75,500.
- FIIs stay net sellers even as DIIs cushion the market — Foreign institutional investors offloaded ₹583.40 crore in the cash segment in the previous session, extending a cautious 2026 stance, even as domestic institutional buying has helped keep indices resilient.
- Brent crude nears $94 on geopolitical and demand signals — Crude oil prices firmed further, with Brent trading close to $93–94 a barrel and WTI near $85.5, as traders weigh supply-side risk alongside steadier global demand data.
🌐 Global Markets & Tomorrow’s Outlook
Overnight cues remain mixed, with US bond yields climbing and Brent crude’s approach toward $94 keeping energy-sensitive sectors in focus. GIFT Nifty was indicating a modestly positive open earlier in the session, up around 38 points, suggesting Indian markets could carry today’s momentum into the next session if global risk sentiment holds. Investors should watch for any fresh commentary from US Fed speakers and incoming economic data releases, along with continued crypto ETF flow trends, as key swing factors for tomorrow morning’s open.
Data sourced from live market feeds and news reports as of the afternoon session on 21 August 2026. This is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.
