Indian benchmark indices traded higher on Thursday, September 17, 2026, after beginning the session on a cautious note. The recovery came amid mixed global signals, with investors tracking crude oil prices, the latest US Federal Reserve rate decision and the opening of the much-awaited NSE IPO.
The Nifty 50 was trading around 23,279, while the Sensex was near 74,453 in early trade, with buying interest seen particularly in banking and financial stocks.
Sensex and Nifty Performance Today
The domestic market initially opened under pressure following the US Federal Reserve’s decision to raise interest rates by 25 basis points. However, benchmark indices recovered as investors stepped in to buy selected stocks.
The early movement remained relatively measured, reflecting caution among investors amid elevated crude prices and concerns over global interest rates.
The IT sector remained under pressure, with concerns that higher US interest rates could affect technology spending by American companies, an important market for Indian IT service providers.
Why Is the Indian Stock Market Rising Today?
Several factors influenced trading sentiment on Thursday.
Crude oil prices eased during Asian trading, providing some relief to oil-importing economies such as India. Brent crude fell to around $105.64 a barrel after Saudi Arabia offered additional crude shipments to Asian refiners through Oman. However, geopolitical risks linked to the Strait of Hormuz continued to keep the energy market under close watch.
Asian equities also provided support to Indian markets, while bargain buying following recent weakness helped lift benchmark indices. Reuters reported that 14 of 16 major sectors were trading higher, although gains remained limited by concerns surrounding the US Federal Reserve and oil prices.
Fed Rate Hike and Its Impact on Indian Markets
The US Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points, taking the target range to 3.75%-4%. The decision has kept global investors focused on US bond yields, the dollar and the outlook for further monetary tightening.
Higher US interest rates can influence global capital flows because they can make dollar-denominated assets relatively more attractive. For emerging markets such as India, changes in global borrowing costs and foreign investment flows can affect market sentiment and currency movements.
Investors are therefore watching the rupee, US Treasury yields and foreign institutional activity alongside domestic market developments.
NSE IPO Opens for Subscription
The National Stock Exchange’s much-awaited IPO opened for public subscription on September 17 and will remain open until September 21. The price band has been fixed at ₹1,700-₹1,785 per share, with a minimum lot size of eight shares. At the upper end of the price band, the issue size is around ₹22,562 crore.
The entire issue is an offer for sale (OFS) by existing shareholders, meaning NSE itself will not receive the IPO proceeds. The issue is intended to facilitate the sale of shares held by existing investors and the eventual listing of NSE shares on the BSE.
The large IPO has added another major event to India’s primary market and is being closely watched alongside movements in the broader equity market.
Key Factors to Watch
Investors are expected to keep an eye on crude oil prices, the rupee-dollar exchange rate, US Treasury yields, foreign and domestic institutional flows and developments in the Middle East.
The combination of easing oil prices and selective buying has provided some support to Indian equities, while the Federal Reserve’s rate decision, elevated energy prices and geopolitical uncertainty continue to influence market sentiment. The movement in the Sensex and Nifty during the session will depend on how these domestic and global factors evolve.