The S&P BSE SENSEX added 417.56 points or 0.56% to 75,605.89 and the NIFTY50 rose 115.30 points or 0.49% to 23,775.30 at 09:25 IST on Friday, May 22. According to Business Standard, the market opened with positive momentum driven by international developments and investor sentiment toward potential geopolitical resolution. The broader market showed mixed performance with the BSE 150 MidCap Index unchanged and the BSE 250 SmallCap Index shedding 0.06%.
Market breadth remained robust with 1,818 shares rising and 1,245 shares falling on the BSE, as reported by Business Standard. A total of 165 shares remained unchanged, indicating widespread participation across market segments. The positive breadth suggests broad-based buying interest rather than concentration in specific sectors.
Banking, consumer and auto shares advanced while media, realty and pharma stocks capped the gains, according to Business Standard. This sectoral pattern reflects investor preference for defensive and cyclical sectors over volatile segments. The divergent performance across sectors contributed to the overall positive market sentiment during early trading hours.
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth ₹1,891.21 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of ₹2,492.42 crore in the Indian equity market on May 21, 2026, as per provisional data from Business Standard. This institutional flow pattern suggests continued domestic confidence despite foreign selling pressure.
Asia markets traded higher on Friday as investors assessed U.S.-Iran diplomatic efforts at reaching a peace deal in the Middle East, according to Business Standard. The positive sentiment was supported by overnight gains on Wall Street, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose to a record close of 50,285.66, gaining 276.31 points or 0.55%. The S&P 500 advanced 0.17% to 7,445.72 and the Nasdaq Composite increased 0.09% to 26,293.10.
