The Nifty Next 50 emerged as the top performer in July 2026, achieving a 2.82% gain according to Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund's Global Market snapshot report. This performance surpassed both the benchmark Nifty 50, which rose 2.17% over the month, and the broader Nifty 500, which gained 2.02%. All indices tracked in the report recorded positive returns for the period ending July 31, with broader segments showing positive movement across the board. The Nifty Midcap 150 increased 1.60%, followed by the Nifty Smallcap 250, which rose 1.13%, while the Nifty Microcap 250 recorded a gain of 0.14%.
Sectoral performance revealed strong gains across multiple segments, with Information Technology posting the highest increase at 16.77%. Consumer Durables gained 9.96%, Realty rose 8.67%, and Auto advanced 8.55%. Healthcare, Metal, and FMCG sectors grew 3.82%, 1.60%, and 0.67% respectively. However, Energy recorded a decline of 2.54%, while Defence fell 1.98% and Bank decreased 0.48%. As reported by Motilal Oswal, seven of the ten sectors recorded positive returns in July, with IT leading the gains and Energy posting the steepest decline. The Nifty 500 was driven largely by Consumer Discretionary, Information Technology, and Healthcare sectors, while Industrials, Utilities, and Services remained negative.
Quality and Low Volatility indices demonstrated strong performance with gains of 1.78% and 1.75% respectively during July. Momentum indices dropped 1.11% but maintained a 2.67% gain over the past year. Enhanced Value declined 0.14% in July while holding a 10.54% return over the past 12 months. According to the report, broader segments showed positive movement with the Nifty Midcap 150 advancing 1.60%, the Nifty Smallcap 250 increasing 1.13%, and the Nifty Microcap 250 recording a gain of 0.14%.
International equity markets showed mixed movements during July 2026. In the United States, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.32%, while the S&P 500 slipped 0.13% and the Nasdaq 100 fell 6.61%. China gained 8.60% and Brazil rose 6.28%, while Korea declined 17.11% and Taiwan fell 5.80%. European indices moved higher with the United Kingdom gaining 5.21%, Germany rising 3.19%, France adding 1.86%, and Japan posting a 1.02% advance. Information Technology weighed down the index returns by 1.24%, while Industrials and Utilities sectors also contributed negatively.
Commodities and digital assets experienced significant shifts during July 2026. Crude oil emerged as the strongest gainer, rising sharply by 21.83% to trade at $84.67 per barrel, while gold remained largely flat at $4,026 per ounce. The USD/INR currency pair recorded a 0.80% shift. Cryptocurrencies moved upward during July, with Ethereum gaining 16.89% and Bitcoin rising 8.04%. Over the past year, the Nasdaq 100 delivered the strongest gain of 21.78%, followed by the Dow Jones Industrial Average at 18.93% and the S&P 500 at 18.15%.
