As the nation celebrates its 78th Independence Day, it reflects on a journey marked by numerous challenges and fluctuations. Similarly, the country's stock markets have experienced ups and downs but have shown significant growth and resilience.

The Nifty 50 index began on April 22, 1996, with a starting value of 1136.28 points and has recently crossed 25,000 points, marking a growth of nearly 22 times.

In less than four years from its inception, as the country transitioned into the 21st century, the index climbed to 1592.90 points, showcasing early signs of its potential. By December 2, 2004, the Nifty 50 achieved a milestone by crossing the 2000-point mark, setting the stage for further growth amid challenges.

Financial crisis in 2008

The global financial crisis of 2008 tested the resilience of the Indian stock market. At the start of the year, the Nifty 50 was trading around 6300 points, but by the end of 2008, it had plummeted to 2500 points, reflecting the global economic turmoil.

Despite this setback, the financial sector demonstrated remarkable strength. By December 31, 2009, less than a year after the crisis, the Nifty 50 had rebounded to 5200 points. In September 2010, the Nifty index again reached the 6000-point mark after a gap of over two years, marking a significant recovery.

As 2014 began, the index was around 6300 points, but by the end of the year, it had surged past 8000 points, fuelled by optimism surrounding the new single-party majority Government at the centre.

Hits 10,000 pts

A major milestone was achieved on July 25, 2017, when the Nifty 50 hit the 10,000-point mark, coinciding with the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), a landmark reform in the Indian indirect tax structure. The market faced another significant challenge with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020.

The Nifty 50, which had been trading around 12000 points in January 2020, fell dramatically to about 7500 points by March 2020. This sharp decline was one of the most significant losses for the index in a short span. Nevertheless, the resilience of the stock market was evident as the Nifty 50 began its recovery as the pandemic subsided. The recovery was swift and robust. By 2021, the Nifty 50 surpassed the 15000-point mark, and the rally continued unabated.

On August 1, 2024, the index achieved a new milestone, reaching 25,000 points. The index hit the 20,000-point mark for the first time on September 11, 2023, and took 221 trading days from that level to reach 25,000 points on August 1, 2024. This journey from the early days of 1136.28 points to the recent milestone of 25,000 points underscores the evolution of the financial sector and its integral role in the country's economic development.

Commenting on the Nifty’s journey, Ajay Bagga, Banking and Market Expert, stated, “the journey of the Nifty reflects the growth of the Indian economy and various sectors. When the Nifty was created in the mid-1990s, the top companies were very different, from very different sectors.”

“In these three years, IT, Pharma, Real Estate, Auto ancillaries, and Telecom have emerged as new sectors with significant shares in the Nifty market cap. Going ahead, in the decades to come, there will again be a sectoral rotation as e-commerce, artificial intelligence, fintech and health tech companies rise to prominence,” Bagga added.

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