Sector Performance Today (26 August 2026): Metal Leads, Telecom Lags — Heatmap, Breadth and Most Active Stocks
Quick answer
Sector-wise market performance for 26 August 2026: Metal up +0.77% and Telecom at -2.36%, with advance-decline breadth, sector indices and the most active large caps.
Quick summary
Leading sector
Metal
+0.77%
Lagging sector
Telecom
-2.36%
Breadth
15 up / 35 down
Which sectors moved on 26 August 2026
Metal was the strongest pocket at an average +0.77% across our large-cap universe, while Telecom was the weakest at -2.36%. Market breadth stood at 15 advances against 35 declines out of 50 tracked names, with the Nifty 50 at 24,207.75 (-0.52%). Data is as of 07:54 pm IST.
Sector heatmap
| Sector | Average change | Advances | Declines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal | +0.77% | 3 | 0 |
| Materials | +0.76% | 3 | 1 |
| Financials | +0.69% | 7 | 3 |
| Pharma | -0.36% | 1 | 4 |
| Infra | -0.87% | 1 | 2 |
| Auto | -1.00% | 0 | 5 |
| Energy | -1.02% | 0 | 6 |
| FMCG | -1.02% | 0 | 5 |
| Consumer | -1.13% | 0 | 3 |
| IT | -1.60% | 0 | 5 |
| Telecom | -2.36% | 0 | 1 |
NSE sector indices
| Index | Level | % change |
|---|---|---|
| Bank | 57,783.75 | +0.47% |
| IT | 30,318.85 | -1.49% |
| Auto | 29,000.15 | -0.75% |
| FMCG | 47,252.90 | -0.96% |
| Pharma | 26,626.30 | +0.23% |
| Metal | 13,541.70 | +1.25% |
| Energy | 38,099.90 | -0.55% |
| Financials | 26,386.75 | +0.53% |
| Realty | 910.15 | -0.84% |
| Media | 1,611.00 | +0.06% |
| PSU Bank | 8,669.50 | +0.76% |
| Infra | 9,288.85 | -1.21% |
Most active stocks by volume
| Stock | Price (₹) | % change | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| TATA STEEL LIMITED | 188.01 | +0.57% | 3,21,99,274 |
| HDFC BANK LTD | 727.20 | -0.04% | 2,11,56,463 |
| KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK LTD | 416.70 | +3.62% | 2,01,68,995 |
| ITC LTD | 270.25 | -0.43% | 1,16,93,367 |
| WIPRO LTD | 177.35 | -1.54% | 93,55,776 |
| OIL AND NATURAL GAS CORP. | 232.21 | -0.77% | 65,00,323 |
| INFOSYS LIMITED | 1,120.00 | -2.14% | 63,23,984 |
| NTPC LTD | 334.60 | -1.57% | 59,03,358 |
Strongest closes (near the day's high)
| Stock | Price (₹) | % change | Position in day range |
|---|---|---|---|
| JSW STEEL LIMITED | 1,341.00 | +1.54% | 100% |
| KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK LTD | 416.70 | +3.62% | 95% |
| DIVI S LABORATORIES LTD | 9,025.00 | +3.11% | 95% |
| AXIS BANK LIMITED | 1,255.00 | +1.59% | 86% |
| GRASIM INDUSTRIES LTD | 3,299.90 | +0.31% | 79% |
| HINDALCO INDUSTRIES LTD | 1,053.00 | +0.19% | 68% |
Weakest closes (near the day's low)
| Stock | Price (₹) | % change | Position in day range |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUN PHARMACEUTICAL IND L | 1,899.50 | -1.18% | 0% |
| RELIANCE INDUSTRIES LTD | 1,298.00 | -1.46% | 0% |
| POWER GRID CORP. LTD. | 265.20 | -2.19% | 0% |
| NTPC LTD | 334.60 | -1.57% | 0% |
| MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA LTD | 3,398.20 | -1.32% | 0% |
| LARSEN & TOUBRO LTD. | 4,038.10 | -2.00% | 0% |
Session takeaways
- Market pulse reads 29/100 — strong risk-off.
- NIFTY 50 is trading lower at 24,207.75 (-0.52%).
- Breadth in the large-cap universe: 15 advancing vs 35 declining, a negative bias.
- Metal leads sectors at +0.77%, while Telecom lags at -2.36%.
- Top large-cap gainer: KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK LTD +3.62%.
- Biggest laggard: BHARTI AIRTEL LIMITED -2.36%.
- Gold futures at ₹1,62,235 (-0.40%).
- Gap scanner: 6 large caps opened above the previous close, 6 below; widest intraday swing is DMART at 5.18%.
How to read sector rotation
Sector leadership tells you where money is rotating, which matters more than a single index print. Broad breadth with two or three sectors leading is a healthy trend; a rising index with negative breadth is usually narrow, index-heavyweight driven and fragile. Stocks closing in the top quarter of their day range show buyers in control into the close, and heavy volume confirms the move.
Related live pages
Sources
- NSE India equity and sector index board data via our exchange data feed
- TrendRipperX market dashboard
“This report is generated automatically from live exchange and official association data at the time stamped above. Prices move continuously — verify on the source before acting. Nothing here is investment advice.”
Frequently asked questions
What do you need to know about sector Performance Today (26 August 2026): Metal Leads, Telecom Lags — Heatmap, Breadth and Most Active Stocks?
Sector-wise market performance for 26 August 2026: Metal up +0.77% and Telecom at -2.36%, with advance-decline breadth, sector indices and the most active large caps.
Which sectors moved on 26 August 2026?
Metal was the strongest pocket at an average +0.77% across our large-cap universe, while Telecom was the weakest at -2.36%. Market breadth stood at 15 advances against 35 declines out of 50 tracked names, with the Nifty 50 at 24,207.75 (-0.52%). Data is as of 07:54 pm IST.
What should you know about session takeaways?
Market pulse reads 29/100 — strong risk-off. NIFTY 50 is trading lower at 24,207.75 (-0.52%). Breadth in the large-cap universe: 15 advancing vs 35 declining, a negative bias. Metal leads sectors at +0.77%, while Telecom lags at -2.36%. Top large-cap gainer: KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK LTD +3.62%.
How to read sector rotation?
Sector leadership tells you where money is rotating, which matters more than a single index print. Broad breadth with two or three sectors leading is a healthy trend; a rising index with negative breadth is usually narrow, index-heavyweight driven and fragile.
What are the key points on related live pages?
Market dashboard. Top gainers. Top losers. Most active stocks. Bank Nifty today.
How significant is sources?
NSE India equity and sector index board data via our exchange data feed. TrendRipperX market dashboard.
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