From the Sensex firms, Bharat Electronics, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, Axis Bank, Maruti and Tata Motors were among the gainers. However, Eternal, Hindustan Unilever, Trent and Titan were the major laggards.
Indian equity benchmarks, Sensex and Nifty, ended lower after a spectacular rally, with the Sensex tumbling 931 points, as renewed tensions in West Asia, particularly the risk to the ceasefire deal after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, dampened investor optimism.
Indian stock markets extended their gains for a third consecutive day, with the Sensex climbing 753 points and the Nifty closing above 24,550, driven by a drop in crude oil prices and optimism surrounding potential peace talks between Iran and the US.
Indian stock market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced a significant decline, driven by escalating tensions in the Middle East and rising crude oil prices.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty closed lower in a volatile session due to profit-taking in banking and financial shares, despite earlier gains driven by easing geopolitical tensions. Analysts suggest investors remain cautious and are not aggressively chasing the recent rally.
'When markets go into a budget with excessive optimism, the risk of disappointment is higher.'
The Indian government has increased import duties on gold and silver from 6 per cent to 15 per cent to curb inbound shipments of precious metals amid a rising import bill due to the West Asia crisis.
Analysts predict a surge in gold and silver prices as investors seek safe-haven assets due to escalating tensions in the Middle East. The impact on domestic prices will depend on the conflict's duration, with geopolitical factors and macroeconomic data also playing a role.
'The problem is not just slower growth, but also the quality of growth.'
The Indian rupee plummeted to an all-time low of 95.80 against the US dollar, settling at 95.66, driven by elevated crude oil prices and escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia, despite potential RBI intervention and import curbs on gold.
Bharat Forge reported modest Q4FY26 results but provided strong guidance, anticipating significant growth from its defence, aerospace, and data centre segments, with a projected 25 per cent revenue growth in Indian manufacturing for FY27, despite current high valuations.
Eight of India's top-10 most valued firms saw their combined market valuation increase by Rs 1,87,497.45 crore last week, with Bharti Airtel emerging as the largest gainer, reflecting a positive trend in the equities market.
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, snapped a three-day rally, tumbling nearly 1 per cent due to heavy selling in IT stocks, a jump in crude oil prices, foreign fund outflows, and fears of prolonged instability in West Asia.
'Every year we import approximately $70 billion worth of gold -- closer to $72 billion in 2025-2026, an all-time record.' 'There is no parallel for this anywhere in the world. And this love for gold will not disappear overnight.'
From the 30-Sensex firms, Trent, Infosys, Bharti Airtel, Tech Mahindra, Bharat Electronics and Maruti were among the biggest gainers. However, State Bank of India, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Larsen & Toubro and Titan were the laggards.
JPMorgan has downgraded Indian equities to 'neutral' from 'overweight', citing elevated valuations, rising earnings risks, and limited exposure to next-generation technology like AI. The brokerage believes other emerging markets offer more attractive risk/reward propositions despite India's strong structural growth story.
Crude oil prices experienced a significant drop following the announcement of a US-Iran ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, leading to heavy selling by traders.
'The March correction was clearly due to the war and with prospects of that coming to a conclusion, there is a natural rally.'
'As re-industrialisation gathers pace across regions like Asia, Europe and the US, a wide range of products and inputs will see demand.'
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has refuted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claims regarding the state's fish production, accusing him of misrepresenting facts and alleging restrictions on non-vegetarian food consumption in BJP-ruled states.
Aviation stocks experienced a significant surge following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, which led to a sharp decline in crude oil prices. This development has positively impacted stock markets and the broader economic outlook for India.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has refuted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claims about the state's fish production, accusing him of misrepresenting facts and alleging restrictions on non-vegetarian food consumption in BJP-ruled states.
Direct plans of mutual fund schemes added nearly 21 million individual investor folios in FY26 (as of February), surpassing regular plans' 15 million net additions, marking only the second time direct plans have outpaced regular plans in annual folio growth, despite turbulent equity markets.
In the present hyper-connected world, there are many domestic and global factors that affect financial markets. Of them, the most powerful and often least predictable are geopolitical events, which often boil down to one diplomatic headline.
'At the first sign of real trouble, that money will move. There will be a run.'
'What exactly is on the prime minister's mind, we do not know. But it feels like the government wants the country to be prepared for unseen challenges ahead.'
Foreign investors have aggressively sold off Indian equities, withdrawing over 48,213 crore in the first 10 days of April, following a record 1.17 lakh crore outflow in March, driven by escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia, rising crude oil prices, and global inflation concerns.
Net inflows into equity mutual fund schemes moderated in FY26, falling by 27 per cent to about 3 trillion till February, as choppy markets and global uncertainties prompted investors to shift towards safer options like hybrid funds and gold ETFs.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has launched development projects worth 253 crore in Jind district, focusing on irrigation, infrastructure, health, and water supply.
Investors' wealth soared by Rs 10.58 lakh crore in three days of the market rally, where the BSE benchmark jumped over 2 per cent, and hit an all-time high on Monday. Extending its winning momentum to the third day running, the 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 363.20 points or 0.49 per cent to settle at 74,014.55. During the day, it zoomed 603.27 points or 0.81 per cent to hit its record high of 74,254.62.
The Indian rupee saw a significant appreciation against the US dollar following President Trump's suspension of military strikes against Iran and the Reserve Bank of India's decision to maintain its key interest rate. Market sentiment was further buoyed by positive comments from the RBI regarding the health of the banking sector.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has criticised Congress leaders for visiting 'anaj mandis' in Haryana and challenged them to assess the performance of Congress-governed states. He highlighted the development work carried out in Haryana under the current government.
All three Bharti group companies outperformed in CY25 but the biggest gain came from Bharti Airtel, the flagship.
Gold and silver prices are poised to maintain their record-setting rally in the coming week as investors focus on global inflation data and key macroeconomic indicators that shape central bank policy paths, analysts said.
10 stocks from the Nifty 200 index that offer good growth potential and scope to deliver decent returns from current levels, based on brokerage estimates.
Benchmark indices rallied on Thursday with the Sensex and Nifty climbing nearly 2 per cent, helped by heavy buying in Bajaj Finance shares amid a mixed trend in the global equity markets. The 30-share BSE benchmark jumped 1,041.47 points or 1.87 per cent to settle at 56,857.79. During the day, it rallied 1,097.9 points or 1.96 per cent to 56,914.22. The broader NSE Nifty advanced 287.80 points or 1.73 per cent to 16,929.60.
Active largecap funds, which have the toughest job in terms of outperforming the benchmark, did better in 2023 as their bets in the mid and smallcap stocks paid off.
TVK candidate Vinoth Ravi is using a 3D hologram of actor-turned-politician Vijay to campaign for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, aiming to reach voters across the state.
I wonder if I can rest assured -- before the election ink on my finger fades -- that my home state is at the threshold of a better future, wonders Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
