Sensex and Nifty Closing Updates, March 17, 2025: Sensex and Nifty Ends in Green

Market Close Updates

Sensex and Nifty End in Green The Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, closed higher on Monday, March 17, 2025. The Sensex settled at 74,169.95, gaining 341.04 points or 0.46% . The Nifty ended at 22,508.75, up by 111.55 points or 0.5%. Gains in financial stocks and positive cues from Asian markets drove this upward movement. Bank and auto stocks primarily led the gains, with ICICI Bank and Axis Bank being key individual contributors. 

Global Market Influence 

Asian shares generally climbed following stronger-than-expected consumption growth data from China. Japan's Nikkei 225 futures and Japan’s Topix rose, along with Australia’s S&P/ASX 200, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, and the Shanghai Composite. South Korean shares also closed higher after China unveiled policy steps, with the KOSPI rising significantly. In contrast, U.S. equity futures dipped as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent viewed the recent market decline as healthy. European shares showed little change amid trade war jitters and Germany’s debt reform vote. Wall Street had seen a strong rebound on Friday, which also contributed to the positive sentiment in the Indian markets.

Sectoral Performance 

Bank and pharma stocks showed a rally. The Nifty Pharma index gained over 1.5%, with Granules India and Dr. Reddy's Laboratories shares rallied by 3% each. Nifty Auto stocks were also trading in the green. However, Nifty Media stocks were trading with cuts, and Nifty IT stocks also saw cuts later in the day.

Top Performers and Underperformers 

Dr. Reddy's Lab and SBI Life were among the top gainers, rising by 3% each. Other top gainers in the Nifty 50 included Bajaj Finserv, Trent, and Axis Bank. IndusInd Bank's share price rose significantly, over 5% at one point, after the RBI reassured depositors about the bank's financial stability. On the losing side, Mobikwik shares sank 15% to hit a 52-week low after the IPO lock-in expiry. Ola Electric shares also slid due to an insolvency petition filed against its subsidiary. Top losers in the Nifty 50 included Britannia, Hero MotoCorp, Wipro, BPCL, and Asian Paints.

Stock-Specific News and Developments 

Several companies experienced significant stock movements based on specific news:

• IndusInd Bank: Rebounded sharply after RBI's reassurance on financial stability.
• Mobikwik: Shares fell sharply after the expiry of the IPO lock-in period.
• Ola Electric: Stock declined following an insolvency petition against its subsidiary.
• Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories: Shares were in focus due to a recall of a mislabeled injection in the US, but still closed higher. 
• IRFC: Declared a second interim dividend of ₹ 0.80 per equity share.

Other Market Indicators 

The Indian rupee gained for the third session, closing at 86.80 per dollar, supported by exporter and foreign bank dollar sales and a softer dollar. India’s trade deficit eased on February 13. Wholesale price inflation rose to 2.38% in February. Gold faced profit booking, but silver held above the ₹1 lakh/kg mark.

Live Mid-day Updates

The Indian stock market showed positive momentum at mid-day on March 17, 2025, with both Sensex and Nifty trading higher. Gains in pharma, banking, and energy stocks helped lift the indices despite ongoing global uncertainties.

Sensex and Nifty Performance

• Sensex: The benchmark BSE Sensex rose by 330 points, trading at 74,400, supported by strong performances in key sectors.
• Nifty: The NSE Nifty 50 held above the 22,500 mark, gaining 0.57% to trade at 22,530.

Analysts attribute the gains to declining crude oil prices, a weakening Dollar Index, and expectations of recovery in domestic corporate earnings.

Top Gainers

1. Sun Pharma:
• Opening Price: ₹1,616.10
• Closing Price (LTP): ₹1,657.70
• % Change: +2.87%
  Sun Pharma led the market rally as demand for healthcare stocks surged amid favorable sectoral outlooks.
2. BEL (Bharat Electronics Limited):
• Opening Price: ₹271.95
• Closing Price (LTP): ₹276.87
• % Change: +2.23%
  BEL gained on optimism surrounding defense contracts and government spending.
3. BPCL (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited):
• Opening Price: ₹255.99
• Closing Price (LTP): ₹262.40
• % Change: +2.13%
  BPCL benefited from stable crude oil prices and improved refining margins.
4. Trent:
• Opening Price: ₹4,739.70
• Closing Price (LTP): ₹4,892.95
• % Change: +1.94%
5. ICICI Bank:
• Opening Price: ₹1,217.20
• Closing Price (LTP): ₹1,238.20
• % Change: +1.92%

Top Losers

1. IndusInd Bank:
• Opening Price: ₹810.45
• Closing Price (LTP): ₹693.30
• % Change: -23.01%
  IndusInd Bank continued its sharp decline due to concerns over its derivative portfolio discrepancies.
2. Infosys:
• Opening Price: ₹1,680.00
• Closing Price (LTP): ₹1,651.45
• % Change: -2.94%
3. Wipro:
• Opening Price: ₹277.00
• Closing Price (LTP): ₹275.05
• % Change: -2.08%
4. Bajaj Finserv:
• Opening Price: ₹1,830.00
• Closing Price (LTP): ₹1,802.35
• % Change: -2.06%
5. M&M (Mahindra & Mahindra):
• Opening Price: ₹2,684.75
• Closing Price (LTP): ₹2,653.20
• % Change: -1.80%

Market Sentiment

The market’s upward trajectory is supported by:

• Declining crude oil prices.
• Positive domestic earnings expectations.
• Bargain-buying after recent corrections.

However, global uncertainties surrounding U.S.-China trade tensions and recession fears continue to weigh on investor sentiment.

Market Open

On Monday, the BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty 50 began trading with caution despite upbeat Asian markets and a gap-up signal from GIFT Nifty futures; the Sensex opened nearly flat at 73,830 before climbing by 280 points to reach 74,100, while the Nifty 50 edged up by about 80 points to settle at 22,480. Meanwhile, Asian indices showed robust performance with Hong Kong's Hang Seng and Japan's Nikkei each advancing around 1.4%, Taiwan and KOSPI both rising over 1%, Singapore's Straits Times up by 0.7%, and China's Shanghai Composite inching up by 0.4%, contrasting with last Friday's sharp pullback in US markets where the NASDAQ dropped 2.6%, the Dow Jones fell 1.7%, and the S&P 500 declined by 2.1%.

Factors Influencing Market Sentiment

• Gold Prices: Gold has remained resilient, having surpassed the $3,000 level for the first time last week. This achievement marks the 13th record high of the year as investors increasingly view gold as a safe haven amid growing market uncertainty, driven by escalating trade tensions and new tariffs introduced by President Trump.
• US Markets Bounce Back: Wall Street staged a robust recovery on Friday after a sluggish start to the week. The Dow Jones climbed over 670 points, while both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq registered gains of more than 2%.
• Fed Meeting in Focus: The US Federal Reserve is set to begin its two-day FOMC meeting on March 18. Following a cumulative rate cut of 100 basis points since last September, the Fed is expected to maintain current interest rates. However, Fed Chair Jerome Powell has warned that rising tariffs could complicate efforts to control inflation. The policy decision will be revealed on March 19.
• Crude Oil Rises Amid Tensions: Oil prices increased by over 1% after the US reaffirmed its commitment to continue strikes against Yemen’s Houthis. This Iran-backed group has been targeting shipping lanes, sparking concerns over supply disruptions. Both Brent and WTI crude have seen their prices rise by more than a dollar per barrel.

Global Backdrop:

• US Dollar: The US Dollar Index (DXY) stood at 103.71 on Monday morning. The Indian rupee strengthened by 20 paise, closing at 87.01 per USD on March 13.

• Crude Oil: Prices rose, with WTI crude at $68.27 (+1.64%) and Brent crude at $71.65 (+1.52%) in early trade.

• Gold: In India, 24K gold is priced at ₹89,660 per 10g, 22K at ₹82,190 per 10g, and 18K at ₹67,250 per 10g (₹6,725 per gram).

Stocks in Focus:

• IndusInd Bank: RBI affirms financial strength with a 16.46% CAR, 70.20% PCR, and 113% LCR for Q4 ending December 2024.
• Infosys: Subsidiary Infosys McCamish Systems settles six class-action lawsuits from the November 2023 cyber incident for $17.5 million (settled on March 13, 2025).
• Wipro: Restructuring its Global Business Lines to focus on AI, cloud, and digital transformation, effective April 1, 2025.
• IRFC: Board meeting on March 17, 2025, to discuss a second interim dividend for FY 2024-25, with a record date on March 21.
• NMDC: Board meeting on March 17, 2025, to consider an interim dividend for FY 2024-25, with trading window closure until March 19 per SEBI guidelines.
• Power Grid Corporation: Approves an investment of ₹341.57 crore in two transmission projects for Ratle (850 MW) and Kiru (624 MW) hydro projects in J&K, with completion expected by mid-2026.
• Tejas Networks: Receives a ₹123.45 crore incentive from the Ministry of Communications under the PLI scheme for FY 2023-24.
• Zydus Lifesciences: API Unit 1 in Ankleshwar passes the USFDA inspection with zero observations and receives final approval to manufacture Eluxadoline Tablets.
• Brigade Enterprises: Launches the Brigade Eternia residential project in Yelahanka, Bengaluru (14.65 acres, 1,124 units, potential revenue >₹2,700 crore, completion by March 31, 2030) and a premium JV project, Ebony at Brigade Orchards, in Devanahalli.
• GR Infraprojects: Secures the Agra-Gwalior Greenfield Road project worth ₹4,262.78 crore under the BOT toll model, awarded by NHAI.
• Shilpa Medicare: Subsidiary Shilpa Pharma Lifesciences Ltd’s Unit-2 in Raichur passes USFDA inspection with no observations (March 10–14, 2025).

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