Markets open steady as mid- and small-cap stocks quietly take the lead

Markets Hold Steady While Mid- and Small-Caps Outperform Early

Written by: Supriya Kadu

Edited by: Pinky Deshmukh

Last Updated: November 17, 2025

Summary: Sensex and Nifty start the day on a calm, slightly positive note, with smaller stocks and banking names showing early strength.

The market opened today with that slow-but-steady energy you usually see on a Monday when traders are still easing into the screens. The Sensex was up by roughly 150 points, and the Nifty hovered just above 25,950 — nothing dramatic, just a comfortable green start.

What actually felt more interesting than the headline numbers was the action in the mid- and small-cap pockets. Both of those indices were doing a bit better than the big boys, gaining around 0.6%. It’s the kind of quiet strength that usually hints at investors feeling a little more confident beneath the surface.

A few sectors were clearly pulling their weight — banks, oil & gas, power, and PSU banks were all trading higher. They weren’t exploding upward, but you could see consistent buying trickling in.

Some stocks stood out for the right reasons: Kotak Mahindra Bank, JSW Steel, NTPC, Shriram Finance, and Tata Consumer Products were all among the early gainers. On the other hand, a few familiar names, such as Cipla, Dr. Reddy’s, TCS, Tata Motors’ passenger vehicle arm, and InterGlobe Aviation, appeared a bit sluggish.

Banking stole some spotlight again with Bank Nifty pushing past 58,900 in the morning — a fresh high — mostly thanks to private banks holding up well.

There was also a bit of corporate buzz. TruAlt Bioenergy signed an MoU to invest about ₹2,250 crore to set up a sustainable aviation fuel plant in Andhra Pradesh, which definitely caught the market’s attention. And after two dull sessions, the oil & gas index finally bounced back a little.

Overall, the market seemed cautiously optimistic — neither racing ahead nor showing any signs of trouble. If the strength in mid- and small-caps holds through the week, this could shape up into an interesting momentum phase. But for now, traders are mostly watching global cues and waiting for a clearer direction.