Sensex gains 433 pts; auto shares advance

The headline equity indices traded with significant gains in the early-afternoon trade supported by strong domestic data including robust GDP data and upbeat manufacturing PMI data. The Nifty traded above the 24,550 mark. Auto shares advanced after declining in the past three consecutive trading sessions. At 12:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex advanced 433.04 points or 0.55% to 80,242.69. The Nifty 50 index added 146.05 points or 0.60% to 24,573.10. The broader market outperformed the frontline indices. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index jumped 1.18% and the S&P BSE Small-Cap index rose 0.97%. The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 2,646 shares rose and 1,361 shares fell. A total of 210 shares were unchanged. Derivatives: The NSE's India VIX, a gauge of the market's expectation of volatility over the near term, slipped 2.38% to 11.47. The Nifty 30 September 2025 futures were trading at 24,698.80, at a premium of 125.70 points as compared with the spot at 24,573.10 The Nifty option chain for the 30 September 2025 expiry showed a maximum call OI of 42.3 lakh contracts at the 26,000 strike price. Maximum put OI of 49.5 lakh contracts was seen at 24,000 strike price. Economy: The seasonally adjusted HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) stood at 59.3 in August compared with 59.1 in July 2025. The upward movement in the headline figure largely reflected an acceleration in growth of production volumes. The rate of expansion was the quickest in close to five years. When explaining the rise, panel members pointed to a better alignment of supply with demand. India Q1 GDP: India’s economy picked up momentum in the April–June quarter, defying expectations of slower growth, even as higher U.S. tariffs on Indian exports loom as a potential drag in the months ahead. Gross domestic product (GDP) grew 7.8% in the quarter, the strongest pace in five quarters, compared with 7.4% in the previous three-month period, according to government data released Friday. Gross value added (GVA) — considered a better gauge of underlying economic activity since it excludes indirect taxes and subsidy transfers — rose 7.6% during the same period, up from 6.8% in the prior quarter. At this rate, India continues to rank among the world’s fastest-growing major economies, though the outlook for exports has darkened following U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff hike. Buzzing Index: The Nifty Auto index jumped 1.64% to 25,370.30. The index declined 1.81% in the past three consecutive trading sessions. Tube Investments of India (up 3.92%), Bajaj Auto (up 3.35%), Mahindra & Mahindra (up 3.09%), Exide Industries (up 2.68%), Hero MotoCorp (up 1.77%), Bosch (up 1.71%), TVS Motor Company (up 1.67%), Tata Motors (up 1.44%), Samvardhana Motherson International (up 1.01%) and Eicher Motors (up 0.88%) advanced. Stocks in Spotlight: Axiscades Technologies rallied 3.62% after announcing that its subsidiary, Mistral Solutions, has secured a major order worth Rs 150 crore related to the Indian Air Force’s Su-30MKI “Super-30” modernization program. Sterlite Technologies (STL) fell 5.06% after the company updated exchanges on an adverse litigation outcome involving its US arm.