Nifty 50 is trading at 24,195.60 in the mid-session, down 92 points, as IT heavyweights Infosys and HCL Tech drag the index lower while rising crude oil prices on West Asia tensions weigh on sentiment. Here’s your midday markets snapshot.
📊 Mid-Session Market Action
The Sensex is down 397.36 points (-0.51%) at 77,330.80, while the Nifty 50 has slipped 92.05 points (-0.38%) to 24,195.60 as of 11 AM IST. The Nifty IT index is the worst-hit sector, down nearly 1%, with Infosys and Mphasis leading the decline. Rising crude oil prices, driven by concerns over tension in West Asia, are adding pressure across the board. On the flip side, financials and metals are holding up well. Top gainers include Muthoot Finance (+2.54% to ₹2,914.3), HDFC Asset Management (+1.90% to ₹2,532.2), Hindalco Industries (+1.89% to ₹1,049) and Siemens Energy India (+1.81% to ₹3,600.4). Top losers are Infosys (-2.17% to ₹1,143.8), HCL Technologies (-2.15% to ₹1,330.8), ITC (-1.83% to ₹273.1) and TCS (-1.82% to ₹2,318.1).
₿ Crypto Pulse — 11 AM Update
Bitcoin has climbed back above $64,000 (roughly ₹64.1 lakh) as fresh AI-compute infrastructure deals keep institutional flows alive, even though BTC remains on pace for its fourth negative week in a row on a broader timeframe. Ethereum is trading near ₹1,82,530. In notable whale activity, Tom Lee’s Bitmine has expanded its Ethereum treasury to roughly 4.8% of total ETH supply after adding another 9,926 ETH last week, while Capital B added five more BTC to push its Bitcoin treasury to 3,145 BTC.
💰 Live Rates — 11 AM IST
| Asset | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Nifty 50 | 24,195.60 | -0.38% |
| Sensex | 77,330.80 | -0.51% |
| Bitcoin (BTC) | ₹64,08,190 / $64,000+ | Recovering |
| Ethereum (ETH) | ₹1,82,530 | Steady |
| Gold (10g, 24K) | ₹1,55,001 | Elevated |
| Silver (1kg) | ₹2,34,819 | -0.44% |
| USD/INR | ₹95.79 | Rupee softer |
| Crude Oil (Brent) | $88.87 | +0.40% |
📰 Top 5 Stories Making Markets Move Today
- Vedanta plots $20 billion investment push — After splitting into five independently listed companies, Anil Agarwal’s group is preparing to invest $20 billion over the next three to five years, largely funded through internal cash generation, betting on India’s long-term demand for natural resources and favourable commodity cycles.
- Crude oil rallies on West Asia tension — Brent crude is up 0.40% to $88.87 a barrel as geopolitical concerns in West Asia resurface, a key factor behind today’s weakness in Indian equity benchmarks and a headwind for oil-import-dependent sectors.
- Puravankara posts strong Q1 FY27 show — The realty developer reported a 28% rise in pre-sales for the quarter, reinforcing the residential real estate upcycle narrative that has supported housing and allied stocks through 2026.
- Goldman Sachs to acquire Bitcoin ETF manager NEOS — In a sign of deepening Wall Street-crypto integration, Goldman Sachs is buying ETF manager NEOS in a deal valued at up to $2.25 billion, a move that could accelerate institutional crypto product flows globally, including sentiment spillover into Indian crypto trading volumes.
- India’s dairy sector pivots to innovation-led growth — Players like Amul, Mother Dairy, Nestlé India, Heritage Foods and Country Delight are shifting from volume-led expansion to innovation and premiumisation to protect margins, a theme investors are increasingly tracking in the FMCG space.
🎯 Afternoon Watch List
Keep an eye on Nifty IT for any stabilisation attempt after today’s sharp cuts in Infosys and HCL Tech — a close below 24,150 on the Nifty 50 would open the door to a retest of the 24,000 psychological mark. On the crypto side, watch whether Bitcoin can hold above the $64,000 level through the US afternoon session, as a break below could reignite the broader four-week downtrend. Also track crude oil headlines out of West Asia, since any further escalation could keep pressure on rate-sensitive and import-heavy Indian sectors into the close.
Data sourced from live market feeds. Last updated: 11:00 AM IST, 18 August 2026. This is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.
