Nifty vs Sensex explained

Quick Answer: The Nifty 50 tracks 50 NSE-traded companies and the Sensex tracks 30 BSE-listed companies. NSE Indices Limited runs the Nifty from a 3 November 1995 base of 1,000; BSE Index Services runs the Sensex from a 1978-79 base of 100. Both weight stocks by free-float market capitalisation.

India has two benchmark equity indices because it has two large stock exchanges. Each exchange has a flagship index run by a dedicated index company, with its own selection rules, base period and review calendar.

Those rules explain why the two numbers sit at such different levels yet tend to move in the same direction. This guide sets the Nifty 50 and the Sensex side by side, using each administrator's own methodology documents as of September 2026.

What is the difference between Nifty and Sensex?

The Nifty 50 is NSE's flagship index of 50 companies, while the Sensex is BSE's index of 30 companies, and each is built by a different administrator. The Nifty 50 factsheet dated 31 August 2026 lists 50 constituents, a free-float market capitalisation method and semi-annual rebalancing.

BSE Index Services Pvt. Ltd., formerly Asia Index Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned BSE subsidiary, runs the Sensex. Its methodology calls the Sensex the oldest index in the country.

Their levels are not comparable. A Nifty reading is measured against a base of 1,000, and a Sensex reading against a base of 100, so the gap in points says nothing about which market did what. Multibagg's indices page shows both alongside Bank Nifty and sector indices.

Nifty vs Sensex in India in 2026: constituents and base year

Each index carries a different constituent count and a different base period. Those figures come from NSE Indices and BSE Index Services documents current in 2026.

Nifty 50 vs Sensex at a glance (NSE Indices factsheet and methodology; BSE Indices methodology; as of 22 September 2026)

Per NSE Indices, the Nifty's base date marks one year of operations in NSE's capital market segment, while the Sensex's first computed value dates from 3 April 1979, though BSE launched it on 2 January 1986.

Nifty 50 vs Sensex 30: how many stocks does each include?

Each has a fixed count: the Nifty 50 holds 50 stocks and the Sensex holds 30, set by their administrators. BSE's methodology says the Sensex stays at 30 companies even if a differential voting rights share class is added alongside a common share.

A bigger basket gives any single Nifty name a lower weight. Even so, concentration shows at the head of the list. As of 31 August 2026, HDFC Bank carried 9.85% of the Nifty 50, ICICI Bank 9.45% and Reliance Industries 7.83%, and financial services made up 36.47% of the index.

On 30 September 2026, the Nifty list changes. NSE Indices' press release of 10 August 2026 removes Wipro and adds BSE Ltd, whose six-month average free-float market capitalisation of ₹1,40,879 crore was more than 1.5 times Wipro's ₹55,930 crore. The live member list sits on Multibagg's Nifty 50 page.

How much do the Nifty and Sensex stock lists overlap?

All 30 Sensex companies also sit in the Nifty 50, so the overlap is complete on the Sensex side and covers 30 of the Nifty's 50 names. That comparison uses NSE Indices' constituent file as of 22 September 2026 and BSE Index Services' Sensex list dated 31 August 2026.

That leaves 20 Nifty names outside the overlap, with no Sensex seat. They include Adani Enterprises, Coal India, Oil & Natural Gas Corporation, Cipla, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, JSW Steel and Wipro.

On the published lists, the 30 September change leaves the overlap count at 30. Neither Wipro, which exits the Nifty 50, nor BSE Ltd, which joins it, is a Sensex constituent. Scheduled Sensex changes come at its June and December rebalances. Its current members appear on Multibagg's Sensex page.

How are Nifty and Sensex calculated by market cap?

Both indices weight constituents by free-float market capitalisation, which counts only shares available for trading rather than every share issued. NSE Indices says the Nifty 50 has used this float-adjusted method since 26 June 2009.

The Nifty's level is measured against its base period. It reflects the float-adjusted market value of its stocks, with corporate actions such as stock splits and rights issues adjusted so they do not move the index value.

Selection differs more than weighting. For the Nifty, a stock must trade every day for six months and show an average impact cost of 0.50% or less for a ₹10 crore portfolio in 90% of observations. A newcomer's average free-float market cap must be at least 1.5 times the smallest member's, and at most five companies can be added in a year.

For the Sensex, the BSE Indices methodology ranks BSE 100 stocks by six-month average free-float and total market cap, drops the least traded and any stock below a 0.5% weight, then picks the 21 highest-ranked automatically. Existing members ranked 22 to 39 keep priority, and sector balance breaks ties for new entrants.

What is the difference between Nifty and NSE?

NSE is the stock exchange, the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd., while the Nifty 50 is an index that NSE Indices Limited calculates from stocks traded there. NSE Indices describes the Nifty 50 as NSE's flagship index and says it has traded since April 1996.

BSE follows the same split. On that side, BSE Ltd. runs the exchange and its subsidiary runs the Sensex. That separation is why BSE Ltd., a listed company, can enter NSE's Nifty 50 on 30 September 2026.

NSE began trading Nifty 50 index futures on 12 June 2000 and index options on 4 June 2001, per the methodology. The factsheet adds that the index serves as a base for index funds and ETFs, which Multibagg's ETF section lists with expense ratios and holdings.

For how the two benchmarks close on a typical day, see our market wraps on Nifty and Sensex edging up as oil cooled and an expiry-day session when the two indices split.

Follow both indices in one place

Index levels change every trading second, so a fixed number in an article dates quickly. Multibagg's Nifty 50 and Sensex pages, reached from the same indices hub above, carry the level, constituents and sector mix for each.

Disclaimer: This article is for educational and informational purposes only. Multibagg AI is not a SEBI-registered investment adviser or research analyst, and it does not provide investment, financial, legal or tax advice. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy, sell, hold or invest in any security. Market data is shown as of the dates stated and may have changed since. Please consult a SEBI-registered adviser before making any investment decision.