Eight of India's ten most valuable listed companies added a combined ₹1.90 lakh crore to their market valuation last week, riding a broad rally across Dalal Street. ICICI Bank emerged as the biggest gainer of the week, with ICICI Bank shares pushing the lender's market capitalisation up by ₹56,223 crore to reach ₹9.61 lakh crore.

HDFC Bank also posted strong gains for the period. The country's largest private lender saw its valuation climb by ₹38,571 crore, taking its total market cap to ₹11.89 lakh crore. Alongside these two banking majors, State Bank of India, Bajaj Finance, Bharti Airtel, Larsen & Toubro, Hindustan Unilever and Reliance Industries also recorded gains in their market value during the week.

Two companies, however, swam against the tide. TCS and LIC were the only firms among the top ten to see their market valuation slip, even as the broader market posted healthy gains.

Reliance Retains Top Spot

Despite not topping the gainers' list, Reliance Industries continued to hold its position as the most valuable company in the country after the week's trading. It was followed in order by HDFC Bank, Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, TCS, Bajaj Finance, Larsen & Toubro, Hindustan Unilever and LIC, according to the latest rankings.

Sensex, Nifty Snap Losing Streak

The benchmark indices ended the week firmly in positive territory. The Sensex rose 1,284.61 points, or 1.73 per cent, over the week, while the Nifty advanced 256.2 points, translating to a gain of about 1 per cent. The upmove brought an end to a two-week losing streak for both indices.

Friday's session, June 12, was particularly strong. The Sensex jumped 1,695 points to close at 75,527, and the Nifty climbed 461 points to settle at 23,622, according to market data from the day's trade.

Global Cues, RBI Steps Aid Sentiment

Market experts attributed the turnaround to a mix of domestic and global factors. Ajit Mishra, SVP (Research) at Religare Broking Limited, said the Indian market ended a volatile week on a strong note, breaking its two-week losing streak. He noted that improved global sentiment, along with supportive measures from the Reserve Bank of India aimed at attracting foreign exchange inflows, lent support to the market.

Adding to the positive mood, hopes of a potential peace deal between the US and Iran also played a role. According to Mishra, optimism around easing tensions between the two nations boosted investor confidence, as a peace agreement could lower geopolitical risk and help stabilise energy markets — both factors that tend to have a direct bearing on equity markets.

What Market Capitalisation Means

Market capitalisation refers to the total value of a company's outstanding shares — essentially all shares currently held by shareholders — calculated by multiplying the total number of shares by the current share price. For instance, if a company has 1 crore shares trading at ₹20 each, its market cap would stand at ₹20 crore.

Several factors can push market cap up or down, including movement in share prices, quarterly results, company-specific news, broader market sentiment, and corporate actions like fresh share issuances, buybacks or delisting.

Why It Matters for Companies and Investors

For companies, a higher market cap can make it easier to raise funds, secure loans, or pursue acquisitions, while a shrinking valuation can limit such options. For investors, gains in market cap typically translate into higher portfolio value, while declines can erode wealth and sometimes prompt investors to exit their holdings.