Equity benchmarks ended Tuesday’s session on a strong note, with both the Sensex and Nifty 50 rising nearly 1%, supported by broad-based buying across sectors, particularly FMCG and financials.

The Nifty 50 closed at 24,576.60, up 211.75 points or 0.87%, while the Sensex advanced 753.03 points, or 0.96%, to settle at 79,273.33, with gains picking up in the latter half of the session.

FMCG leads rally; Nestlé India surges

The rally was led by FMCG stocks, with Nestlé India emerging as the top gainer on the Nifty 50, rising 8.5% intraday after reporting strong quarterly earnings and hitting a fresh 52-week high.

Other consumption-oriented names also saw buying interest. Hindustan Unilever gained 3.97%, while Tata Consumer Products rose 2.24%. ITC added 1.69%, indicating strength across the defensive consumption basket.

Banks provide stability

Financial stocks lent further support to the indices. ICICI Bank gained 2.17%, while HDFC Bank rose 2.08%. Axis Bank and Bajaj Finance also ended higher, reflecting stable sentiment in the banking and NBFC space.

Sectoral trends show rotation

Sectoral indices indicated a clear shift in market positioning, with investors rotating towards defensives and select domestic plays.

FMCG emerged as the top-performing sector, driven by strong earnings and demand outlook. Banking and financials saw steady gains, supporting the broader market. Auto and consumption stocks traded with a positive bias. Realty stocks remained firm, extending recent momentum.

On the other hand, pharma stocks were under pressure, with names like Dr Reddy’s declining. PSU and defence stocks saw profit booking, with Bharat Electronics among the laggards. Oil & gas stocks remained muted, with limited participation from index heavyweights

Among the top gainers on the Nifty 50 were:

• Nestlé India (+8.43%)

Among the losers:

• SBI Life Insurance (-3.46%)

Market breadth remained positive, indicating wider participation beyond index heavyweights. Midcap and smallcap stocks also ended higher, suggesting sustained risk appetite among investors.