Markets Rally for Fourth Straight Day as Crude Oil Eases

Indian equity markets extended their winning streak for a fourth consecutive session on Wednesday, supported by easing crude oil prices following optimism surrounding a US-Iran peace understanding. The Indian rupee strengthened by 10 paise against the US dollar to close at 94.50. Investor sentiment remained positive despite fresh comments from US President Donald Trump warning of possible military action if Iran failed to adhere to expectations. The BSE Sensex gained 347.14 points to close at 77,155.62, while the Nifty 50 advanced 96.55 points to settle at 24,085.70. Among the top gainers were Trent, BEL, Infosys, Tata Steel, TCS, Bharti Airtel and Tech Mahindra.

The rally significantly boosted investor wealth, with the total market capitalization of BSE-listed companies rising by ₹2.88 lakh crore in a single session to ₹475.12 lakh crore, equivalent to $5.03 trillion. Over the last four trading sessions, market capitalization has increased by ₹22.78 lakh crore. Meanwhile, the US Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged, reiterating its commitment to controlling inflation and supporting employment growth. In another development, merchant banker Unistone Capital and its director Jitendra Sanghvi settled an insider trading case with SEBI by paying more than ₹67 lakh in settlement charges.