Indian Markets Extend Gains; Financials and Metals Lead Rally

By midday, the top contributors to market gains were ICICI Bank (+45.41 pts), HDFC Bank (+31.55 pts) and Larsen & Toubro (+19.07 pts). On the other hand, Bajaj Finserv (-3.47 pts) and Bharti Airtel (-3.47 pts) were lagging..

Market Update at 12:10 PM: Indian equities extended gains in early trade on Tuesday, supported by strong performances in financial stocks and positive global sentiment.

As of 12.00 p.m., the Nifty 50 was up 1.16 per cent at 22,770, while the Sensex advanced 1.19 per cent to 75,040. Despite this rebound, the Nifty remains about 13 per cent below its record high from last September.

The upbeat sentiment in global markets was reflected in Asian equities, which tracked Wall Street’s overnight gains.

Metal stocks in India also gained around 1 per cent, supported by China’s stimulus measures and a weaker dollar. China’s retail sales showed faster growth in January-February, providing relief to policymakers aiming to boost domestic consumption. While this optimism lifted metal stocks, some analysts warned that strengthening China’s economy could trigger foreign outflows from Indian markets.

India VIX, which slipped below the 13.5 mark was down by 1 per cent during the day.

By midday, the top contributors to market gains were ICICI Bank (+45.41 pts), HDFC Bank (+31.55 pts) and Larsen & Toubro (+19.07 pts). On the other hand, Bajaj Finserv (-3.47 pts) and Bharti Airtel (-3.47 pts) were trading in negative territory.

Broader indices were trading in green, with Nifty Mid-cap surging 1.58 per cent and Nifty Small-cap up 2 per cent. Sectoral performance was strong, all sectoral indices were in green, led by Nifty Media and Nifty Consumer Durables, while Nifty Metal jumped 1.86 per cent. 

On Monday, foreign outflows from Indian equities hit a two-week high following stronger-than-expected retail sales data from China.

About 2236 stocks are advancing as against 499 stocks that are declining, thus indicating a negative sentiment in the broader market.

Market Update at 10:30 AM: Indian shares opened higher on Tuesday, led by financials and metals, and tracking their Asian peers on optimism over China's economy.

At 10:20 a.m., the Nifty 50 was up 1.02 per cent at 22,740, while the Sensex advanced 1.03 per cent to 74,987. Almost all sectors recorded gains, with Realty rising 2.08 per cent. 

Broader markets also saw modest gains, with Small-Cap and Mid-Cap indices climbing around 1.03 per cent and 1.63 per cent, respectively.

China's retail sales growth accelerated in January-February in relief for policymakers attempting to revive domestic consumption.

In today’s trade, India VIX has declined below the 13.50 mark, down by 0.17 per cent, indicating a decrease in market volatility.

ICICI Bank, Hindalco Larsen & Toubro are among the Top Gainers, while BPCL, Bajaj Finserv and ONGC are among the top losing stocks from the Nifty 50.

About 2,169 stocks are advancing as against 499 declining stocks, thus indicating a Positive sentiment in the broader market.

Pre-Market Update at 7:45 AM: Sensex and Nifty 50 are expected to open higher on Tuesday, continuing their rally in line with strong global cues. Asian markets witnessed a sharp uptrend, while Wall Street closed on a positive note, with the Dow Jones surging 1,000 points over two sessions. Investors are now awaiting the US Federal Reserve’s policy decision on Wednesday for insights into the economic outlook amid ongoing trade and tariff concerns.

Gift Nifty was hovering near 22,740, reflecting a premium of approximately 132 points over the previous close of Nifty futures, signalling a potential gap-up opening for Indian equity indices.

Wall Street continued its upward momentum on Monday, marking a second consecutive session of gains following the release of fresh economic data. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 353.44 points, or 0.85 per cent, to close at 41,841.63, while the S&P 500 advanced 36.18 points, or 0.64 per cent, to settle at 5,675.12. The Nasdaq Composite also ended in positive territory, gaining 54.58 points, or 0.31 per cent, to finish at 17,808.66.

US retail sales saw a modest recovery in February, rising by 0.2 per cent following a revised 1.2 per cent decline in January. A Reuters poll of economists had projected a 0.6 per cent increase after an initially reported 0.9 per cent drop in the previous month. Retail sales, primarily driven by goods and unadjusted for inflation, showed a slower-than-expected rebound.

Asian markets traded higher tracking overnight gains on Wall Street. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rallied 1.17 per cent, while the Topix index gained 1.59 per cent. South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.49 per cent and the Kosdaq remained flat. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index futures indicated a stronger open.

Brent crude futures increased by 0.22 per cent to USD 71.23 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures advanced 0.19 per cent to USD 67.71 per barrel.

The US dollar hovered close to a five-month low against its major peers. The dollar index was almost flat at 103.11, while USD/INR was trading at 86.64.

On March 17, 2025, foreign institutional investors (FII) sold shares worth Rs 4,488.45 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DII) bought shares worth Rs 6,000.60 crore.

Stocks that are banned for trading in the F&O segment on March 18, 2025, are BSE, IndusInd Bank, Hindustan Copper, Manappuram Finance, SAIL, etc.

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