Sensex Flat, Nifty Below 23,700
Indian benchmark indices, the Sensex and Nifty, experienced a subdued trading session on Monday, March 25, 2025, as a wave of profit-taking, particularly in metal, PSU bank, and oil & gas stocks, offset gains in the resilient information technology (IT) sector. Despite the mixed performance, both indices managed to extend their winning streak to a seventh consecutive session, albeit with minimal gains.
The day's trading saw the broader market underperform the benchmarks. The Nifty Midcap 100 and Smallcap 100 indices recorded declines of 1.1% and 1.5%, respectively. The BSE Sensex closed with a marginal gain of 32.81 points (0.04%) at 78,017.19. The NSE Nifty 50 also saw a slight increase of 10.30 points (0.04%), ending the day at 23,668.65. Out of the total traded shares, a significant majority (2,868) declined, while 1,019 advanced, and 107 remained unchanged.
Of the 13 major sectoral indices, 12 ended the day in the red. The Nifty IT index stood out as the sole gainer, climbing over 1%, bolstered by positive performances from Infosys, TCS, HCL Tech, and Wipro. The Nifty Bank, after showing some strength during mid-day trading, also slipped into negative territory. Nifty Pharma, Metal, Oil and Gas, and PSU Bank indices were among the biggest losers, each declining by close to 1%. Nifty Auto, Consumer Durables, and Realty sectors also experienced declines of up to 1%.
Sectoral and Stock-Specific Highlights:
- Banking & Financials: Continued bullishness due to their robust performance during the recent market rebound and expectations of strong earnings.
- FMCG: Concerns about a slow recovery in consumption led to a selectively wary stance on FMCG stocks.
- Induslnd Bank: Faced continued pressure, the stock slid after GST authorities imposed penality.
- UltraTech Cement: Shares saw a significant upswing following an upgrade to "buy" by UBS, which cited an improving outlook for the cement sector and anticipated a strong rebound in demand.
- Zomato: The stock experienced a decline after Macquarie expressed a preference for restaurant franchise businesses over food delivery, despite acknowledging food delivery growth driven by new users.
Top Gainers and Losers (Nifty):
- Gainers: UltraTech Cement, Trent, Bajaj Finserv, Grasim, and Infosys.
- Losers: IndusInd Bank, Dr Reddy's, Coal India, Adani Enterprises, and Adani Ports.
The Indian stock markets, though extending the winning streak is in a consolidation phase. The earnings will decide further actions of the bourses.
