Indian equity benchmarks closed higher on Thursday, extending gains for the fourth consecutive session, as optimism over the government&rsquo;s move towards GST rate rationalisation outweighed profit booking in select sectors.
The Sensex ended at 82,000.71, up 142.97 points or 0.17 per cent, after opening strong at 82,220.46. The Nifty closed at 25,083.75, up 33.20 points or 0.13 per cent. The session, however, remained range-bound as selling pressure in auto and FMCG counters capped the upside.
Bajaj FinServ, ICICI Bank, Bajaj Finance, L&amp;T, BEL, Sun Pharma and Titan led the gainers, while PowerGrid, Hindustan Unilever, NTPC, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra and Tata Motors declined.
On the policy front, the Group of Ministers (GoM) on GST rationalisation approved a proposal to replace the current four-rate system with dual rates of 5 per cent and 18 per cent. Analysts said the reform marks a key milestone following Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s Independence Day address.
&ldquo;Indian equities ended mixed as investors opted for profit booking after a recent rally and premium valuations, even as GST reforms provided a positive outlook,&rdquo; said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services.
The rupee weakened by 0.17 to close at 87.22 against the U.S. dollar, tracking cautious sentiment.
With August&rsquo;s record-high composite PMI showing robust momentum in manufacturing and services, analysts expect the market to remain supported by earnings optimism and GST restructuring.
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Sensex, Nifty extend gains for fourth day as GST overhaul sparks investor confidence

Indian Markets Rise On GST Reform Optimism

Sensex, Nifty extend gains for fourth day as GST overhaul sparks investor confidence

August 21, 2025 | 21:41 IST