The Sensex jumped about 350 points in early trade on Thursday and opened above 73,100 — even as Asia’s Kospi crashed 7% and the Nasdaq fell 1.9% overnight. By 9:18 AM, the index was up 372 points, or 0.51%, at 73,154. The Nifty climbed past 22,700. Indian markets defied the global selloff that was supposed to hit them.
Updated: October 15, 2026, 10:35 AM IST
Quick Read
- Sensex opened at 72,965.80, up ~184 points, and quickly jumped ~350 points above 73,100; the Hindu BusinessLine live blog had it at 73,154.10 (+372.21) by 9:18 AM. Nifty crossed 22,700.
- The rebound came a day after Sensex closed at 72,781.89, down 251.89 points, and Nifty at 22,622.70, down 99.25.
- The global trigger: hotter US inflation (September CPI at 3.7%) revived Fed rate-hike bets, hammering the Nasdaq (−1.88%) and Asia’s Kospi (−7.08%) and Nikkei (−4.33%).
The numbers this morning
Yesterday’s close was ugly. The BSE Sensex fell 251.89 points, or 0.34%, to end at 72,781.89, while the Nifty 50 settled 99.25 points, or 0.44%, lower at 22,622.70, NDTV Profit reported. The Bank Nifty ended at 55,316, down 0.30%.
This morning was supposed to be worse. GIFT Nifty futures pointed to a weak start. South Korea’s Kospi had plunged more than 7% and Japan’s Nikkei more than 4% in early trade, per IANS.
Instead, Dalal Street opened in the green and ran. The Sensex opened at 72,965.80 and was trading at 73,004 by 9:05 AM. By around 9:15, ABP Live reported it had jumped almost 350 points, with the index above 73,100. The Nifty climbed nearly 100 points and crossed 22,700.
Also read: Sensex down 61 pts, Nifty dips below 22,700; gold steady
Why Asia crashed but India rose
The chain reaction started in the US. September inflation came in hotter than expected at 3.7%, up from 3.4% in August. That revived bets that the US Federal Reserve — America’s central bank — could raise interest rates again. Reuters, citing CME Group’s FedWatch tool, reported the market now prices a 31.6% chance of a 25-basis-point hike at the Fed’s October 28 meeting, up from 22.1% a day earlier.
Higher US rates are bad news for tech stocks, so the Nasdaq fell 1.88% and the S&P 500 dropped 1.11%. AI-linked names were hammered as memory-chip fears spread: fear over competition from Chinese companies weighed on the whole segment.
Asia took the hit overnight. Korea’s Kospi plunged 7.08%, Japan’s Nikkei tumbled 4.33%, and China’s Shanghai Composite slipped 1.52%, per Dailyhunt’s market report.
So why did India rise? Market experts quoted by IANS had a blunt answer: the correction in AI stocks is actually good for Dalal Street. Foreign investors (FIIs) have been selling Indian stocks and buying into the AI trade. If the AI trade cracks, that selling stops — and the money can come back to India. A global tech rout, counterintuitively, could push foreign flows back into domestic equities.
FIIs sold, DIIs bought
The numbers back the story. On Wednesday, foreign investors net-sold Indian equities worth ₹1,857 crore. Domestic investors (DIIs) — the mutual funds and institutions at home — net-bought ₹2,670 crore, per IANS and Nation Press.
That domestic bid is what cushioned the fall yesterday and powered the rebound today. Sectorally, Nifty IT, FMCG, Auto and Private Bank led the morning gains, rising up to almost 2%, while Nifty Metal was the top loser, down 1%, IANS reported.
Also read: Trump Buys Russian Diesel After Punishing India
Oil, gold and the IDBI deal
Crude oil eased nearly 2% as traders weighed Strait of Hormuz supply risks against US moves to ease shipping costs, IANS reported — after Brent had pushed above $106 earlier in the week. For India, which imports most of its oil, every dollar lower is relief.
Gold futures gained about 1.24% and silver about 0.47%, per market reports — the classic move-to-safety trade when markets turn shaky.
And one more domestic spark: the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the strategic sale of a 60.72% stake in IDBI Bank to Fairfax Financial Holdings for ₹52,878 crore, Dailyhunt reported. The government and LIC will jointly retain a 34% stake. IDBI shares were buzzing in early trade on the news.
One thing to watch on the data front: wholesale price inflation (WPI) accelerated to 11.39% in September from 9.92% in August, per market reports — a sharp jump that suggests price pressure is building inside the economy too, not just abroad.
Also read: Rs 1.5 Lakh for 10g Gold: Should You Buy Before Dhanteras?
What to watch next
Today’s Q2 results include Nestle India, Tech Mahindra, HDFC Life, HDFC AMC and Angel One, per NDTV Profit — expect stock-specific moves through the session.
The bigger question is whether foreign selling really reverses. One green morning does not make a trend. But if the US inflation scare keeps AI stocks under pressure, the FII rotation back toward India that experts are talking about could have legs. Watch the FII flow numbers at close — they will tell you more than the index.
FAQ
How much did the Sensex rise today?
The Sensex jumped almost 350 points in early trade on October 15 and opened above 73,100, per ABP Live. The Hindu BusinessLine’s live blog had it at 73,154.10, up 372.21 points or 0.51%, at 9:18 AM. The Nifty climbed past 22,700.
Why did Indian markets rise when Asia crashed?
Hot US September inflation (3.7%) revived Fed rate-hike bets, crashing tech stocks and Asian markets. But experts say the AI-stock correction is positive for India — foreign investors who were selling Indian stocks to buy AI plays may now rotate back into domestic equities.
What were the FII and DII numbers?
On October 14, foreign investors (FIIs) net-sold Indian equities worth ₹1,857 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) net-bought ₹2,670 crore, per IANS.
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