Closing Bell: Nifty 50 Jumps 1.72%, Sensex Gains 1.63% on March 25; Realty, PSU Banks Lead Rally

Market Update at 04:10 PM: On Wednesday, March 25, India’s benchmark indices, the Nifty 50 and the Sensex, ended in positive territory, surging by over 1.5 per cent. Indian equities tracked gains in regional markets as crude oil prices declined on hopes of potential talks between the U.S. and Iran.

The benchmark Nifty 50 opened with a strong gap-up of 152 points and extended its rally to the day’s high of 23,465. However, the index pared some gains in the second half but managed to close above the 23,300 mark. At the close, the Nifty 50 rose by 394.05 points, or 1.72 per cent, to settle at 23,306.45. The Sensex advanced by 1,205.01 points, or 1.63 per cent, to 75,273.46.

The Bank Nifty index outperformed, jumping 2.10 per cent to end at 53,708.10. Meanwhile, the Indian fear gauge, India VIX, remained largely flat near the 24 mark.

Investor sentiment was supported by geopolitical developments after U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Washington was making progress toward negotiating an end to the conflict. A source also confirmed that a settlement proposal had been delivered to Tehran.

On the currency front, the Indian rupee weakened slightly against the U.S. dollar to 93.93, influenced by dollar sales from state-run banks and pressure from maturing non-deliverable forward contracts.

Crude oil prices saw a sharp correction, with Brent crude falling 5.6 per cent to USD 94 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate declined 4.5 per cent to USD 88. However, Iran denied any direct talks, continuing the pattern of mixed signals around de-escalation.

Sectorally, all 11 key indices ended in positive territory, indicating broad-based buying. Broader markets also participated in the rally, with the Nifty Midcap index rising 2.3 per cent and the Nifty Smallcap 100 index gaining 2.59 per cent.

The Nifty Realty index emerged as the top gainer, surging 2.69 per cent, with all its constituents ending higher. The index extended its gains for the second consecutive session. Other major gainers included the Nifty PSU Bank, Nifty Metal, Nifty Financial Services, Nifty Auto, and Nifty Bank indices, all of which rose over 2 per cent. In contrast, the Nifty IT index lagged, gaining 0.8 per cent, while other sectoral indices advanced between 1 per cent and 2 per cent.

Among stock-specific moves, HDFC Bank shares climbed 2.27 per cent, extending the previous session’s 2.8 per cent gain after reports that the bank engaged external law firms to review its ex-chairman’s resignation.

United Spirits shares declined 1.27 per cent after a consortium comprising the Aditya Birla Group, Times of India Group, Bolt Ventures, and Blackstone announced plans to acquire the IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru from the company for USD 1.78 billion.

RPSG Ventures, which owns the IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants, saw its share price hit the 20 per cent Upper Circuit, supported by improved valuation sentiment for IPL teams following the reported deal.

In terms of index contribution, HDFC Bank added 58.32 points to the Nifty 50, followed by Larsen & Toubro with 34.10 points and State Bank of India with 27.05 points. On the downside, Tata Consultancy Services dragged the index by 4.78 points, followed by Power Grid Corporation of India at 3.98 points and Tech Mahindra at 3.36 points.

Market breadth remained firmly positive. Out of 3,368 stocks traded on the NSE, 2,426 advanced, 855 declined, and 87 remained unchanged. A total of 22 stocks touched their 52-week highs, while 181 hit their 52-week lows. Additionally, 109 stocks were locked in upper circuits, whereas 67 stocks were locked in Lower Circuits.

Market Update at 2:28 PM: Indian equity benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, extended gains for the second consecutive session on improved investor sentiment after U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated that discussions to end the Middle East war are underway.

As of 02:00 PM, the BSE Sensex was trading at 75,708.49, up by 1,640.04 points or 2.21 per cent. Meanwhile, the NSE Nifty 50 stood at 23,432.70, gaining 520.30 points or 2.27 per cent.

Market breadth remained strong, with 47 constituents of the Nifty 50 trading in the green. Bajaj Finance, Shriram Finance, Adani Enterprises, and Trent were among the Top Gainers, leading the rally.

Broader markets also witnessed strong buying interest. The Nifty MidCap index was up by 2.75 per cent, while the Nifty SmallCap index advanced around 3 per cent.

On the sectoral front, the Nifty Consumer Durable index emerged as the top performer, rising over 3 per cent. The Nifty PSU Bank and Nifty Auto indices also outperformed the broader market.

In the commodities market, Brent crude oil prices declined sharply. Brent’s March contract was trading 4.80 per cent lower at USD 99.47 per barrel on the Intercontinental Exchange.

Market Update at 12:15 PM: The Nifty 50 and the Sensex extended their gains on Wednesday as investor sentiment improved after U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated that discussions to end the Middle East war are underway.

The Nifty 50 was trading 2.02 per cent or 461.80 points higher at 23,374.90, while the Sensex rose 1.97 per cent or 1,456.52 points to 75,529.85.

Broad-based buying was visible in the market, with 49 out of 50 constituents in the Nifty 50 trading in the green. Tech Mahindra was the only laggard. Shriram Finance, Adani Enterprises, and Trent emerged as the top gainers on the index.

The overall market strength was reflected in the sharp rise in market capitalisation. The market-cap of all BSE-listed companies increased by Rs 10.41 trillion to Rs 432.65 trillion, up from Rs 422.24 trillion in the previous session.

On the sectoral front, Nifty Realty surged over 3 per cent, becoming the best-performing index. Nifty Consumer Durable and Nifty Auto indices also outperformed, indicating strong buying interest in rate-sensitive and consumption-driven stocks. In contrast, Nifty IT was the weakest sectoral performer, though it still managed marginal gains.

Global cues also supported the rally. Brent crude prices declined sharply after a report by The New York Times stated that Washington had sent a 15-point proposal to Iran via Pakistan to cease the conflict. Trump also indicated that Tehran is willing to move towards a peace agreement.

In recent weeks, the U.S.-Iran conflict had led to significant volatility in energy prices, raising concerns over global growth and inflation outlook.

Brent crude’s March contract dropped 4.80 per cent to USD 99.47 per barrel on the Intercontinental Exchange, according to Reuters data.

However, Iran has denied any ongoing discussions with the U.S., adding an element of uncertainty to the situation.

Market Update at 09:32 AM: Indian equity benchmarks, the Nifty 50 and the Sensex, traded higher in early deals on optimism surrounding a potential de-escalation in the Middle East conflict after U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated that discussions to end the war are ongoing.

As of 9:18 AM, the Nifty 50 was trading 251.25 points or 1.10 per cent higher at 23,163.65, while the Sensex rose 730.64 points or 0.99 per cent to 74,778.51.

Broader markets also witnessed strong buying interest, with the Nifty MidCap and the Nifty SmallCap indices gaining 1.39 per cent and 1.35 per cent, respectively.

Meanwhile, crude oil prices declined sharply, supporting market sentiment. Brent crude fell after The New York Times reported that Washington had sent a 15-point plan to Iran via Pakistan aimed at ending the conflict. Trump also stated that Tehran is keen to reach a peace deal.

In the past three to four weeks, the U.S.-Iran conflict had triggered significant volatility in energy prices, raising concerns over global growth and inflation outlook.

Brent’s March contract was trading 6.12 per cent lower at USD 98.09 per barrel on the Intercontinental Exchange.

However, Iran has denied any ongoing negotiations with the U.S., reiterating that no talks are currently taking place.

Pre-Market Update at 7:44 AM: The Indian stock market benchmarks, Sensex and Nifty 50, are likely to open on a positive note on Wednesday, March 25, supported by a rally in Asian markets amid reports of a potential U.S. plan to end the Middle East conflict.

As of 7:21 am, GIFTY Nifty was trading around the 23,109 level, up by nearly 180 points from the previous close of Nifty futures, indicating a strong start for the domestic indices. Asian markets traded higher, while U.S. stock futures also advanced on optimism surrounding a possible resolution to the U.S.–Iran war.

Asian markets saw broad-based gains. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rallied 2.5 per cent, while the Topix index gained 2.4 per cent. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 2.5 per cent and the Kosdaq rose 1.6 per cent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index also advanced 1.27 per cent, reflecting improved global sentiment.

Among key triggers, developments in the U.S.–Iran conflict remain in focus. U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he has sent a peace proposal to Iran, expressing hope of ending the nearly month-long conflict. However, reports also suggest that the U.S. military is preparing to deploy at least 2,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East. Meanwhile, Tehran indicated it would allow “non-hostile” oil vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

In macroeconomic data, U.S. business activity slowed to an 11-month low in March. According to S&P Global, the flash U.S. Composite PMI Output Index slipped to 51.4 from 51.9 in February.

The Bank of Japan’s January policy meeting minutes showed that several board members supported further interest rate hikes without a fixed timeline, while some emphasised the need for timely action amid rising inflation.

Crude oil prices declined sharply following reports of a U.S. peace proposal to Iran. Brent crude fell 1.68 per cent to USD 94 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropped 0.73 per cent to USD 86 per barrel.

The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six currencies, slipped 0.1 per cent to 99.13.

From a derivatives perspective, the Put-Call Ratio (PCR) stands at 1.05. On the Put side, the 22,900 and 22,800 strikes witnessed meaningful additions in open interest, while 22,500 holds substantial open interest, making it a key support level. The 22,800 level is also emerging as an important near-term support.

On the Call side, significant open interest concentration was observed at the 23,000 and 23,500 strikes, indicating strong resistance zones. This suggests that while the downside is cushioned around 22,800, any upside could face selling pressure near higher levels.

Technically, Friday’s high of 23,350 is expected to act as immediate resistance for the Nifty 50. A fall below 22,900 could trigger further downside towards 22,800 and 22,650 levels.

In the derivatives segment, Sammaan Capital and SAIL remain under the F&O ban list for March 25.

Institutional flows remain a concern. On March 24, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers, offloading equities worth Rs 8,009.56 crore, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) bought shares worth Rs 5,867.15 crore. FIIs have been net sellers for the past 18 consecutive sessions.

On Tuesday, Indian markets ended with strong gains, tracking global cues. The Sensex surged 1,372.06 points, or 1.89 per cent, to close at 74,068.45, while the Nifty 50 rose 399.75 points, or 1.78 per cent, to settle at 22,912.40.

However, Wall Street closed lower in a volatile session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.18 per cent to 46,124.06. The S&P 500 fell 0.37 per cent to 6,556.37, and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.84 per cent to 21,761.89. Among stocks, Nvidia slipped 0.27 per cent, Microsoft fell 2.73 per cent, and Amazon declined 1.43 per cent. Tesla gained 0.57 per cent, Jefferies rose 2.5 per cent, while Estée Lauder plunged 9.8 per cent.

In commodities, gold and silver prices surged. Spot gold jumped 2.6 per cent to USD 4,586.76 per ounce, while spot silver rose 4 per cent to USD 74 per ounce, supported by a softer U.S. dollar.

Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.