Top Traded by Value Today 18-May-2026: Key Stocks
Introduction
Nifty 50 closed at 22,331.40 (-2.14%) on 18 May 2026, while Sensex closing data was not available in the provided snapshot. Market breadth was sharply negative with 6 advances versus 44 declines in the tracked list, indicating broad-based selling despite pockets of stock-specific strength. Telecom and exchange-linked stocks stood out on the value charts, while select shipping and pharma names saw outsized moves in the small-cap bucket. FII and DII flow numbers were not provided in the input.
Large Cap Top Traded by Value
Bharti Airtel Ltd (+1.76%) Bharti Airtel rose after multiple reports said it overtook HDFC Bank to become India’s second-most valued company by market capitalisation during the session. The milestone reinforced the market’s preference for telecom leaders, with commentary also pointing to Airtel’s strong recent run over the past four sessions.
HDFC Bank Ltd (+0.10%) HDFC Bank ended marginally higher even as Airtel’s market-cap crossover dominated headlines, keeping bank versus telecom rotation in focus. The heavy traded value and 3.10 crore volume suggested active repositioning, but the price move remained muted.
BSE Ltd (+3.00%) BSE jumped after a news report flagged expectations that the stock could enter the Nifty 50 in the September 2026 reshuffle. Investors typically price in potential index inclusion because it can drive incremental passive flows and improve liquidity.
Reliance Industries Ltd (-0.09%) Reliance slipped as oil and gas stocks fell on reports of a Rs 3 per litre windfall tax on petrol, which raised fresh margin concerns for the sector. The stock remained among the top value counters as investors digested the tax headline alongside recent discussion around a possible Reliance Jio IPO filing timeline.
Vodafone Idea Ltd (-0.46%) Vodafone Idea traded with very high volume at 139.75 crore shares, keeping it among the day’s most active value names despite a small decline. With no specific news trigger provided, the activity looked driven by positioning around the stock’s proximity to its 52-week high of Rs 13.04.
Mid Cap Top Traded by Value
Hindustan Copper Ltd (+1.87%) Hindustan Copper advanced as metal names showed relative strength in an otherwise weak tape, with Hindalco also listed among the day’s gainers in the broader market snapshot. The stock’s 1.81 crore volume kept it among the top value mid-caps, pointing to strong participation behind the move.
Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (-1.32%) MCX slipped with heavy traded value as the stock consolidated near its 52-week high zone of Rs 3,374.65. With no specific news item provided, the move looked like profit-taking after the recent run-up, even as volumes stayed elevated.
Godfrey Phillips India Ltd (-4.45%) Godfrey Phillips fell sharply and featured in the day’s “stocks to watch” list, keeping it in focus as traders reacted to the price damage. In the absence of a specific catalyst in the provided news, the drop appears driven by aggressive selling on sizeable volume of 42.91 lakh shares.
Steel Authority of India Ltd (-1.17%) SAIL declined in line with broader weakness in steel counters visible in the market snapshot, where Tata Steel and JSW Steel were also in the red. The stock remained among the most traded by value as high volumes of 4.61 crore shares amplified the day’s move.
Dixon Technologies (India) Ltd (-1.83%) Dixon Technologies slipped as mid-caps weakened, with the Nifty Midcap 100 index also lower in the sectoral data provided. With no company-specific news cited, the decline looks linked to risk-off positioning in high-priced discretionary manufacturing names, even as traded value stayed high.
Small Cap Top Traded by Value
Great Eastern Shipping Company Ltd (+10.79%) Great Eastern Shipping surged as the stock hit a fresh 52-week high and extended a two-session rally, signalling a clear technical breakout. The move was backed by very strong participation at 1.95 crore shares, and the broader context highlighted the stock trading above key moving averages.
MTAR Technologies Ltd (-1.59%) MTAR Technologies slipped despite remaining a top value small-cap counter, with 25.39 lakh shares traded. With no specific news catalyst provided, the decline appears driven by broader de-risking and profit-taking after the stock’s sharp run-up toward its 52-week high of Rs 7,334.30.
Jindal Drilling & Industries Ltd (+11.85%) Jindal Drilling jumped on unusually heavy volume of 2.53 crore shares, putting it among the day’s most active small-caps by value. In the absence of a news trigger in the input, the move is best explained as a momentum-led surge, with the stock moving closer to its 52-week high of Rs 762.85.
Amber Enterprises India Ltd (-15.67%) Amber Enterprises tumbled 15.67% on high volume of 22.73 lakh shares, indicating sharp unwinding during the session. No company-specific catalyst was provided, but the magnitude of the fall and heavy traded value point to a decisive risk reduction trade in the counter.
Gland Pharma Ltd (+15.64%) Gland Pharma spiked and moved close to its 52-week high of Rs 2,205, with 74.49 lakh shares changing hands. With no specific news item available in the provided feed, the rally reads as a breakout-style move supported by strong volume.
Market Overview
Nifty 50 settled at 22,331.40, down 488.20 points or 2.14%, as heavyweight financials and several index bellwethers traded lower in the market snapshot. Sectoral data in the input also showed weakness across key indices such as Nifty Bank (-1.25%), Nifty Midcap 100 (-1.19%) and Nifty Next 50 (-1.63%), underlining the breadth of the selloff.
Market breadth in the provided table was lopsided, with 6 advances and 44 declines, suggesting that stock-specific winners were the exception rather than the rule. Against this backdrop, the day’s highest traded-by-value names reflected event-driven churn, including BSE’s rise on Nifty 50 inclusion expectations and Reliance’s pressure after reports of a Rs 3 per litre windfall tax on petrol.
FII and DII net flows were not included in the provided data, so institutional flow attribution cannot be stated from this snapshot.
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