Sensex Hits 77,155, Nifty Jumps 0.4% As Defence And Banking Stocks Lead

Indian equity benchmarks extended their upward trajectory on Wednesday, June 17, marking a fourth consecutive session of gains. The BSE Sensex advanced 347 points to close at 77,156, while the NSE Nifty added 97 points to settle at 24,086. Market breadth remained positive, with advancing stocks outnumbering decliners at a 3:2 ratio on the NSE.

Defence and banking stocks led the rally. The Nifty Defence index posted strong gains, with Paras Defence surging 18%, while Bharat Dynamics and Cochin Shipyard were notable winners. The Nifty Bank index rose 288 points to 57,085, with IDBI Bank jumping 19% amid divestment news and Yes Bank also gaining. Bharti Airtel, State Bank of India, Infosys, and Reliance Industries were among the leading contributors to the Nifty's performance.

In other developments, NBCC rose over 3% after reporting commercial space sales worth ₹2,857 crore. The Nifty Auto index lagged, with Tata Motors declining sharply following Jaguar Land Rover's FY27 outlook. Energy stocks weakened as Brent crude fell below $79 per barrel.