2.16Nifty vs Sensex
1What is it?
Both measure large Indian companies. The Nifty has 50 stocks on NSE, the Sensex 30 on BSE.
2Why does it exist?
You will hear both on the news. "Nifty up 1%, Sensex up 0.9%" tells you the large-company market rose.
3Diagram
| Nifty 50 | Sensex | |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange | NSE | BSE |
| Stocks | 50 | 30 |
| Base | 1,000 (Nov 1995) | 100 (1978–79) |
| Typical level* | Five digits (e.g. 24,000+) | Six digits (e.g. 80,000+) |
4Quick revision
- Different exchanges, number of stocks and bases.
- Compare % changes, not points.
- Both are large-cap benchmarks.
5Knowledge check
Q1. Sensex rose 800 points and Nifty 240 points. Which rose more?Show answer
Compare the % change, not points. Different bases make point moves look different.
Q2. Which has more stocks?Show answer
Nifty 50.
Q3. Are they both large-cap indices?Show answer
Yes.
See it live on MojoStox