The Indian stock market experienced a notable turnaround on March 17, 2025, as the Sensex broke its five-day decline, closing with a solid gain of approximately 0.46%. This increase, amounting to 341 points, brought the Sensex to a total of 74,169.95, while the Nifty 50 also rebounded, rising by 112 points or 0.50% to settle at 22,508.75. Positive global trends significantly influenced this recovery.
Key Market Highlights
Investors were buoyed by the performance of major European indices such as the UK’s FTSE, France’s CAC 40, and Germany’s DAX, all of which showed gains. The market’s uptrend was also supported by significant contributions from heavyweights like ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, and Bajaj Finance.
- BSE Midcap Index: Rose by 0.77%.
- BSE Smallcap Index: Slightly dipped by 0.02%.
- Market Capitalization: Increased by nearly ₹2 lakh crore, elevating the total to around ₹393 lakh crore.
Reasons Behind the Market Surge
The stock market’s rise was primarily driven by optimism surrounding upcoming decisions from key central banks, including the US Federal Reserve, the Bank of Japan, and the Bank of England.
Vinod Nair, head of research at Geojit Financial Services, noted, “The national market enjoyed a positive session, propelled by robust activity in healthcare and finance sectors. Investors are keenly observing the upcoming Fed and BOJ meetings, especially given inflationary concerns tied to tariff uncertainties.”
Top Performers and Decliners
Leading Gainers
- Bajaj Finserv: Up by 3.59%
- Mahindra and Mahindra: Increased by 2.41%
- Axis Bank: Gained 2.36%
Out of the 30 stocks in the Sensex, 19 recorded gains.
Notable Losers
- ITC: Fell by 0.98%
- Nestle: Decreased by 0.76%
- SBI: Dropped 0.69%
Sector Performance Insights
- Nifty Pharma Index: Rose 1.56%
- Nifty Healthcare Index: Increased by 1.51%
- Nifty Bank: Climbed 0.61%
- Financial Services Index: Up by 1.03%
Notably, the PSU Bank Index saw a slight decline of 0.24%.
Active Stocks and Market Movements
In terms of trading volume, the most active stocks included:
- Vodafone Idea: 31.52 crore shares
- GTL Infra: 10.63 crore shares
- YES Bank: 7.2 crore shares
Significant Milestones
- 52-Week Highs: A total of 101 stocks, including Kotak Mahindra Bank and SRF, reached new peaks.
- 52-Week Lows: Conversely, 489 stocks, such as Titan and Hero MotoCorp, hit fresh lows.
Noteworthy Stock Movements
Several stocks exhibited remarkable gains:
- NACL Industries: Up by 19.99%
- Niraj Cement Structurals: Increased by 19.98%
- Udayshivakumar Infra: Rose by 19.94%
On the downside, several stocks faced steep declines:
- Aion-Tech Solutions: Down 15.56%
- Magellanic Cloud: Dropped 13.99%
- Global Education: Fell 12.13%
Market Sentiment Overview
The day concluded with a mixed advance-decline ratio; 1,134 stocks advanced while 1,781 stocks declined on the NSE.
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