BSE at 150: India's stock markets through history's ups and downs

How the BSE Sensex has performed amid wars, scams, terrorist attacks and policy changes

India’s equities have been a remarkable success story over the past four decades, reflecting the nation’s economic progress.

 

The equity market has delivered exceptional returns, outpacing global peers. Meanwhile, India’s regulatory framework and infrastructure have evolved into some of the world’s most efficient.

 

Since 1979, the base year for the Sensex, India’s 30-share benchmark index has surged nearly 700 times, achieving a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15 per cent in local currency. For context, the S&P 500 grew about 50 times, Japan’s market 6.4 times, Malaysia’s 9.5 times, and Germany’s 33 times over the same period.

 

“In the