Mumbai witnessed a stock market fireworks show on Wednesday! Indian equity indices jumped over 1%, mirroring the upbeat global vibes. Why? Softer US retail sales numbers pumped up hopes that the US Federal Reserve might slice interest rates this December. This thrilling news sent the Sensex and Nifty creeping close to their all-time closing records. The Nifty ended at 26,205—just a whisker away from the September 2024 peak of 26,216 points, climbing 1.2%, or 320 points. The BSE Sensex rose 1.2% too, closing at 85,609, just shy of its record 85,836. Gaurav Sharma, head of research at Globe Capital, gave us the inside scoop: "The increased expectations of an interest rate cut in the US boosted investor sentiment as the move could trigger foreign inflows into Indian equities as US Treasuries become less attractive." Sharma confidently expects this upward momentum to push the Nifty to 26,500–26,700 soon. Across Asia, markets were buzzing too! South Korea soared 2.7%, while Japan and Taiwan jumped nearly 2%. Hong Kong inched up slightly, but China dipped a little by 0.2%. At home, all sectors wore green! Leading the charge was the Nifty Metal index, which gleamed with a 2.1% jump. Consumer Durables and Oil & Gas followed suit, each gaining 1.7%. IT, Bank Nifty, Auto, and Pharma indices rose between 1.2% and 1.5%. Ruchit Jain from Motilal Oswal Financial Services said, "The continued buying interest in large-cap stocks propelled the markets higher as index heavyweight sectors like banking and IT rebounded along with stocks like Reliance Industries." Big stock winners were JSW Steel, shining brightest with a 3.7% surge, HDFC Life Insurance rising 2.8%, and Bajaj Finserv plus Bajaj Finance climbing 2.5% each. Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) poured in a net ₹4,778 crore on Wednesday. Some of this wave might connect to a block deal in Bharti Airtel, where promoters sold shares — but exactly how much foreign investors bought isn’t crystal clear yet. Domestic institutions joined the party too, picking shares worth ₹6,247.93 crore. November was already a happy month for global investors, who bought shares worth ₹7,409.4 crore. Jain added a boost for the bulls, saying technical signals hint at fresh all-time highs ahead, aiming for 26,400-26,500 on the Nifty. Midcap and smallcap shares also marched upwards by around 1.2–1.3%. Out of more than 4,300 stocks traded on the Bombay Stock Exchange, nearly 2,721 advanced, outshining the 1,453 that dipped. Over the past week, midcap stocks were just a bit higher, while smallcaps slipped by 0.7%. In a nutshell, the Indian stock market is riding a thrilling wave of hope, fueled by global cues and strong domestic action. Investors, keep your eyes peeled for exciting moves ahead!