The Indian equity benchmarks ended higher on Tuesday, August 25, reversing early losses to close firmly in the green amid heightened volatility on the first monthly derivatives expiry since the introduction of the Closing Auction Session (CAS).

The NSE Nifty 50 ended the session at 24,334.55, up 115.50 points, or 0.48%, while the BSE Sensex advanced 286.98 points, or 0.37%, to close at 77,656.09.

The broader market settled on a mixed note as the Nifty Midcap 100 rose 0.54%, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 edged 0.10% lower.

Among sectoral indices, Nifty Pharma, Nifty PSU Bank, and Nifty Consumer Durables gained nearly 1% each, whereas Nifty Private Bank and Nifty Metal ended in negative territory.

Despite the gains in the headline indices, the overall market breadth remained weak. On the NSE, 1,843 stocks declined, compared with 1,672 advances, while 122 stocks ended unchanged.

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Here are today’s top gainers on the Nifty

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Tuesday's session delivered a constructive technical setup, with the Nifty recovering sharply after defending the 24,100–24,150 support zone for a second consecutive session, said Hariselvan Radhakrishnan, Founder & CEO, HST Wealth.

The rebound reinforced buying interest at lower levels and helped the index end the day near the 24,300–24,400 resistance band, which has capped advances several times this month.

The focus now shifts to whether the momentum can sustain in the coming sessions, with a decisive move above the resistance zone likely to determine the market's near-term direction.

“A single strong close marks an improvement in sentiment, but a sustained move above the 24,300–24,400 resistance zone would provide stronger confirmation that the market is beginning to move beyond its recent range-bound phase,” said Radhakrishnan.