Nifty 500 outperforms Nasdaq, Nikkei and Kospi as Indian markets show resilience

Nifty 500 beats major global indices

Indian equities have demonstrated remarkable strength in recent months, with the broad-based Nifty 500 index outperforming major global stock benchmarks in US dollar terms since mid-June.

Data compiled by veteran investor Samir Arora, founder of Helios Capital, shows that the Nifty 500 gained 2.81 per cent in dollar terms between 18 June and November. Over the same period, major Asian and American indices suffered noticeable contractions or modest gains, underscoring the durability of India’s economic expansion and sustained investor confidence in domestic policy stability.

Choosing 18 June as the comparison baseline—the peak of the South Korean stock market—Arora highlighted how Indian markets stood firm while peer economies faced significant global headwinds.

How Indian stocks compare to global markets

While the Nifty 500 led international peers, US markets presented a mixed picture, and Asian markets registered sharp declines. The comparative performance across key indices in US dollar terms highlights India's standout market positioning:

The numbers reflect a stark divergence between India's economic trajectory and much of the global economy. South Korea's Kospi suffered the steepest drop, losing 36.1 per cent, while Japan's Nikkei 225 fell nearly 15 per cent. Even tech-heavy Wall Street benchmarks struggled, with the Nasdaq Composite dropping 4.6 per cent.

Strong domestic earnings anchor growth

India's market momentum is backed by healthy underlying fundamentals rather than speculative buying. The Nifty 500 settled at 23,566.60 after a seven-session winning streak, putting the index within 2.4 per cent of its 52-week peak of 24,144.

Corporate performance across key domestic sectors has remained exceptionally firm. Out of 331 Nifty 500 companies that announced quarterly results by early November, non-financial businesses logged median sales growth of 21.2 per cent and profit growth of 16.5 per cent. Nearly 73 per cent of those companies reported higher profits compared to the previous period.

Financial institutions recorded even stronger expansion, posting a median profit growth of 22.9 per cent. Financial stocks led recent index advances with a weekly gain of 7.58 per cent, followed by consumer cyclicals and healthcare.

Easing energy costs and stable macroeconomic conditions continue to reinforce investor trust in India's growth trajectory, cementing the country's position as a preferred destination for global investors.