Indian Market Overview
India's stock market is one of the world's top-five by market capitalisation, having crossed ₹400 lakh crore (≈ USD 4.8 trillion) in 2024. Two primary exchanges — the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) — form the backbone of all equity activity. Every transaction is regulated by SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India).
| Parameter | BSE | NSE |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1875 | 1992 (ops 1994) |
| Listed companies | ~5,300+ | ~2,200+ |
| Benchmark index | Sensex (30 stocks) | Nifty 50 (50 stocks) |
| Daily turnover (cash) | ₹5,000–8,000 cr | ₹60,000–1,00,000 cr |
| F&O dominance | Limited (Sensex opts) | 95%+ of India F&O |
| Settlement | T+1 (Jan 2023) | T+1 (Jan 2023) |
| Trading hours | 9:15 AM – 3:30 PM | 9:15 AM – 3:30 PM |
| Clearing corp | ICCL | NSCCL |
NSE dominates F&O trading with ~95% market share. For intraday traders, NSE is the primary reference for price discovery. BSE excels in the SME segment and hosts more listed companies overall.
Established 1875, the BSE hosts 5,300+ companies including the largest SME platform. Its Sensex (30 blue-chips) has been India's economic barometer since 1986.
Founded 1992, NSE revolutionised India by replacing open-outcry with fully electronic trading. The Nifty 50 is India's most globally tracked index.