Sensex & Nifty Rise Today: 31 July 2026 Market Report & Bajaj Finance Rally
Explore why Sensex and Nifty closed higher on 31 July 2026. Read about Bajaj Finance's rally, top market movers, and key insights for SIP investors.
Today at a glance
Today, 31 July 2026: Sensex closed at 78,094.64, up 166.49 points (0.21%), and Nifty 50 settled at 24,383.60, gaining 66.45 points (0.27%). Financial stocks led the rally as Bajaj Finance surged 8.32% on strong Q1 earnings. TCS was the top Nifty loser, falling 2.72%. For SIP investors, days like these reward patience — markets climbed for the fifth straight session.
What happened in the markets today
On Friday, 31 July 2026, the Sensex today closed at 78,094.64, up 166.49 points or 0.21%, while the Nifty 50 settled at 24,383.60, gaining 66.45 points or 0.27%. Both indices rose roughly 2.6% over the five-day week.
Financial stocks powered the advance. Bajaj Finance jumped 8.32% after posting strong quarterly numbers, and Bajaj Finserv added 6.27% following its board’s approval to enter the reinsurance business. Auto and media stocks also contributed. On the weaker side, IT stocks bore the brunt — TCS fell 2.72% and Infosys dropped 2.16%.
Gold slipped to Rs 41,064 per 10 grams in international spot terms, down 1.3%. Silver declined 1.8%. The rupee strengthened slightly to Rs 95.37 per USD.
Why did Sensex rise today? Strong quarterly earnings from heavyweight financial stocks offset weakness in IT, pushing the indices higher for a fifth consecutive session.
Movers: Financials gain, IT stocks drag Nifty 50
Today’s Nifty 50 gainers were Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, and M&M.
| Stock | Close (₹) | Day % |
|---|---|---|
| Bajaj Finance | 1,141.20 | +8.32% |
| Bajaj Finserv | 2,029.10 | +6.27% |
| M&M | 3,398.50 | +3.50% |
| DivisLab | 8,056.00 | +2.82% |
| Adani Ports | 1,696.50 | +1.95% |
Today’s Nifty 50 losers were TCS, Eternal (Zomato), and Infosys.
| Stock | Close (₹) | Day % |
|---|---|---|
| TCS | 2,365.60 | -2.72% |
| Eternal (Zomato) | 302.45 | -2.64% |
| Infosys | 1,130.10 | -2.16% |
| Britannia | 5,416.50 | -1.95% |
| Wipro | 183.65 | -1.44% |
Financials dominated the gainers while IT and FMCG filled the losers column. Bajaj Finance share price today closed at ₹1,141.20, up 8.32% — its sharpest single-day move in months.
In the news
- SEBI — introduced the CAS for F&O stocks from August 3. Closing prices will now be discovered through a dedicated auction window instead of VWAP. [Source: SEBI]
- Sun Pharma — Q1 net profit rose 27% year-on-year to Rs 2,894.79 crore, driven by strong domestic formulations and innovative medicines growth. [Source: ET]
- GAIL — Q1 net profit nearly doubled to Rs 4,665.36 crore, up 96.9% year-on-year, led by a tripling in gas marketing segment profits. [Source: Business Standard]
- Indian Oil — swung to a Q1 net loss of Rs 1,630.74 crore compared with a Rs 6,813.71 crore profit a year ago, pressured by elevated crude oil prices. [Source: Business Standard]
- L&T — signed a six-year EPC framework agreement with Petroleum Development Oman, becoming one of four selected contractors for upcoming projects. [Source: Business Standard]
- Dixon Tech — Q1 net profit jumped to Rs 663.42 crore, though the surge was largely driven by a one-time other income spike. [Source: Hindu Business Line]
- SEBI — launched the GARUDA framework to fast-track AIF launches, allowing regular schemes to go live 10 working days after filing PPM. [Source: Moneycontrol]
Term of the day — Closing Auction Session (CAS)
Closing Auction Session is a new SEBI mechanism replacing the VWAP method for determining closing prices of F&O-enabled stocks. Instead of averaging trades across the last 30 minutes, CAS pools all buy and sell orders into a single auction between 3:15 PM and 3:30 PM. The exchange matches orders at one equilibrium price that maximises traded volume — this becomes the official closing price.
For SIP investors, this matters because closing prices determine your mutual fund’s NAV. A more transparent auction-based close should reduce last-minute price manipulation and produce more accurate settlement prices on expiry days.
What it means for SIP investors
Days like these — financial stocks rallying while IT weakens — remind us that sector rotation is constant. Your SIP does not need to pick the right sector every month. It needs to stay invested across cycles.
An investor who stopped their SIP during last month’s dip would have missed Bajaj Finance’s 8.32% surge today entirely. For a deeper look at why continuing through volatility matters, see our guide on whether to continue SIP during market crashes. If you are building a balanced portfolio, our framework on how to choose the right mutual fund can help you stay focused on consistent investing, not daily swings.
Returns snapshot — 1-day & long-term
1-Day Returns:
| Asset | Change |
|---|---|
| Gold | -1.30% |
| Silver | -1.80% |
| Crude Oil | +1.53% |
| USD/INR | -0.31% |
Long-Term Returns (20-Year CAGR):
| Asset | CAGR % |
|---|---|
| Sensex | +10.43% |
| Nifty 50 | +10.79% |
| Dow Jones | +8.01% |
| Nasdaq | +13.23% |
Over 20 years, the Nasdaq has delivered the highest annualised return at 13.23%, though that figure is in USD and not directly comparable to the Indian indices measured in rupees.
Data quality notes
- Closing prices for Sensex (78,094.64) and Nifty 50 (24,383.60) confirmed on Yahoo Finance.
- Nifty Bank’s closing level was not available from primary data sources at time of publication, so it has been left out of this briefing.
- Gold and silver prices in the Returns table reflect international spot rates converted to rupees. Local Indian retail rates including duties and taxes would be higher — jewellers typically quote Rs 1,42,860 per 10 grams for gold and Rs 2,18,295 per kilogram for silver on this date.
- Bajaj Finserv’s Q1 net profit figures were cross-checked on Moneycontrol and CNBC TV18 — consolidated profit was Rs 6,297 crore (18% YoY), while standalone profit was Rs 3,132 crore (12% YoY). The briefing uses the standalone figure.
- Dixon Tech’s headline profit of Rs 663 crore was driven by a one-time other income spike of Rs 528 crore. Excluding this, operating profit declined 40% year-on-year — noted in the news bullet but not in tables.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. fundsipcalculator.com is not registered with SEBI or any other regulatory authority as an investment adviser. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks. Please consult a SEBI-registered financial adviser before making any investment decision.
Written by Fund SIP Calculator Editorial Team
Reviewed by Fund SIP Calculator Editorial Team
Last reviewed: 31 July 2026
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