Sensex Prediction Today: The Indian equity benchmark Sensex staged a rebound of nearly 610 points on Wednesday, April 20. The rally was underpinned by strong value buying in FMCG, auto and telecom shares amid corporate earnings optimism and a positive rally across Asian markets.

In a volatile session, the 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 609.45 points, or 0.79 per cent, to settle at 77,496.36. During the day, it surged 1,095.6 points, or 1.42 per cent, to a high of 77,982.51. Similarly, the 50-share NSE Nifty climbed 181.95 points or 0.76 per cent to end at 24,177.65.

Market experts suggest that Wednesday's performance has set the stage for a potential 'pullback rally' in the final session of the month. The stock markets will remain closed on Friday, May 1, for Maharashtra Day. Trading in all equity, derivatives, and SLB segments will be suspended. Commodity exchange MCX will be closed in the morning session but open in the evening. Normal trading resumes Monday, May 4.

From the Sensex firms, ITC, Tech Mahindra, Maruti, Reliance Industries, Bharti Airtel and Mahindra & Mahindra were among the biggest gainers. In contrast, InterGlobe Aviation, NTPC, Bajaj Finserv and ICICI Bank were among the laggards.

Maruti climbed 2.82 per cent after the country's largest carmaker reported a record annual consolidated net profit of Rs 14,679.5 crore in FY26, a year-on-year growth of 1.24 per cent, riding on its best-ever annual sales of over 24.22 lakh units, propelled by GST rate reduction.

Aakash Shah, Technical Analyst - Technical Research at Choice Broking, said, "On 29th April 2026, the BSE Sensex delivered a strong technical rebound session, closing at 77,496, up by 609 points, as markets recovered sharply after the previous day's weakness. The index opened firm and extended gains during the first half of the session, touching an intraday high of 77,982."

However, profit booking emerged at higher levels in the latter half, leading to some cooling off from the day's peak. Despite this, the benchmark managed to end with healthy gains, indicating resilient sentiment and buying interest on declines, he said.

"The rally was broadly led by Auto, FMCG, Defence and Select Realty stocks, which emerged as major gainers and provided leadership to the benchmark. Strong buying interest was visible in heavyweight counters such as Reliance Industries, Maruti Suzuki and oil-linked names, while technology stocks also witnessed value buying after recent underperformance. Additional support came from Consumption and healthcare counters, helping the index sustain its upside momentum," Shah further said.

"On the other hand, Private Banking and Financial Services stocks remained relatively muted, capping sharper gains in the benchmark. Select banking names traded range-bound amid ongoing earnings season volatility, while PSU banking stocks showed mixed participation. This indicates that the broader upmove was driven more by non-financial heavyweights rather than full-scale sector-wide participation, the analyst added.

The key highlight of the session was short covering combined with bargain buying after the recent correction, supported by stabilizing global cues and easing immediate risk sentiment, he said.

Sensex Prediction Today: Key levels to watch for April 30

• Support: 76,900 - 76,800
• Stronger base: 76,500
• Resistance: 78,100 - 78,300

Sensex Prediction for Thursday, April 30

From a technical perspective, Shah said the Sensex has reclaimed its immediate breakout support zone and formed a bullish recovery candle on daily charts.

"This move suggests continuation of a pullback rally within a larger consolidation structure. Immediate support is now placed near 76,900 - 76,800, followed by stronger base support around 76,500," the analyst noted.

On the upside, immediate resistance is seen near 78,100 - 78,300, while a decisive breakout above this zone may trigger fresh momentum towards higher levels, he further said.

For Thursday's trading session, Shahs suggested, "Overall, the market structure indicates a short-term bullish recovery with improving momentum, but confirmation of a sustained uptrend will require a breakout above resistance levels. Until then, the Sensex may continue to trade in a range with stock-specific action dominating the trend."

Broader markets performance on Wednesday, April 29

Shah said the broader markets also participated positively, which signals improving market breadth and selective risk appetite returning to equities. "The recovery suggests that investors are accumulating quality names near support levels rather than chasing prices at higher zones," Shah said.

Broader markets rallied as the BSE SmallCap Select index climbed 0.75 per cent, while MidCap Select index declined 0.49 per cent.

Among sectoral indices, FMCG jumped the most by 1.57 per cent, followed by Realty (1.42 per cent), Telecommunication (1.28 per cent), Energy (1.14 per cent), Auto (1.02 per cent), MidSmall Private Banks Quality Tilt (0.83 per cent) and IT (0.81 per cent). Utilities dropped 1.22 per cent, Power (1.05 per cent), Consumer Durables (0.43 per cent), Hospitals (0.42 per cent), PSU Bank (0.42 per cent) and Bankex (0.07 per cent).

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, jumped 2.85 per cent to USD 114.4 per barrel.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 2,103.74 crore on Tuesday, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) bought stocks worth Rs 1,712.01 crore, according to exchange data.

On Tuesday, the Sensex declined 416.72 points, or 0.54 per cent, to settle at 76,886.91. The Nifty dropped 97 points, or 0.40 per cent, to end at 23,995.70.

(Disclaimer: The above article is meant for informational purposes only, and should not be considered as any investment advice. ET NOW DIGITAL suggests its readers/audience to consult their financial advisors before making any money related decisions.)