Sensex and Nifty Closing Updates, 18 March, 2025: Market Closes Higher on Positive Global Cues
Market Close Updates-March 18 ,2025
The Indian stock market closed significantly higher on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, with both the Sensex and Nifty rallying sharply. The Sensex surged by 1,183 points (1.59%) to close at 75,352.62, while the Nifty 50 climbed 337 points (1.50%) to end at 22,845. This positive closing was supported by gains in financials and metals, and reflected optimism about China’s economy which boosted sentiment across Asian markets. Wall Street's overnight rally also contributed to the positive sentiment.
Sensex and Nifty Intraday Movements
Throughout the trading day, both benchmark indices showed strong upward momentum. The Sensex saw gains of over 400 points in the opening bell, climbing further to over 800 points and eventually surging by 1,131 points. The Nifty followed a similar trajectory, trading above 22,600 in the pre-open session, then surpassing 22,650, 22,700, and 22,800 levels. The market hit a one-month high during the day.
Broad-Based Sectoral Gains
All 13 major sectors witnessed advances on Tuesday. Nifty sectoral indices surged, led by Nifty Media (+3.62%), Realty (+3.16%), and Auto (+2.38%). Nifty Bank also showed strong performance, gaining 1.99%, while IT and FMCG rose by 1.33% and 1.36% respectively. Financials saw a 0.9% increase with all 20 constituents recording gains, and metals also gained 0.9%, supported by China’s stimulus plan and a weaker U.S. dollar. The rally was broad-based, with all sectors trading in green and most rising over 1%, with the realty index as the top gainer at one point.
Rupee Strengthens Against the US Dollar
The rupee hit a three-week high at ₹86.54/USD, aided by dollar inflows and a weaker greenback. It has gained for four straight sessions, up 0.8% this month, while the dollar index eased to 103.31. In early trade, the rupee rose by 10 paise to ₹86.71 against the US dollar.
Market Capitalization Sees Significant Increase
The market capitalization of all listed companies on the BSE saw substantial growth. It increased by ₹ 6.36 lakh crore to ₹ 399.53 lakh crore and earlier in the day, it had increased by ₹4.03 lakh crore, reaching a total of ₹ 397.20 lakh crore.
Top Performing Stocks and Sectors
L&T and ICICI Bank were among the top performers, each rising by 3%. ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank significantly boosted the Sensex' movement. In the early trading hours, top gainers included Hindalco, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, and M&M. Throughout the day, Shriram Finance, M&M, Hindalco, Tata Motors, and Asian Paints were among the top gainers in the Nifty 50. Nifty Auto stocks were also trading in green.
Stocks in Focus Due to Specific News
Bajaj Finserv shares experienced a drop of over 1% and tumbled 2% following the announcement of acquiring Allianz’s 26% stake in their joint ventures. Conversely, Paytm's parent company, One 97 Communications, saw its shares jump 7.5% after Paytm Money received SEBI approval to operate as a research analyst. IRCON International’s share price surged by 9% after receiving a contract worth almost ₹1,100 crore from the Government of Meghalaya. Tata Motors shares also surged by 2% after announcing a price increase for commercial vehicles. Mobikwik shares hit a 20% upper circuit. Prince Pipes and Fittings shares gained 4% on receiving a tax demand notice. IndusInd Bank shares jumped over 1% as Moody’s affirmed its rating and the bank raised ₹ 11,000 crore via certificates of deposit. Hindustan Unilever (HUL) shares were in focus after CCI approved its acquisition of skincare brand Minimalist.
IPOs in the News
Innovision received SEBI approval for its IPO, which includes a fresh issue of ₹ 255 crore and an OFS of 17.72 lakh shares. LG Electronics India also secured SEBI approval for its IPO, with the parent company планируя to sell a 15% stake in an entirely OFS issue estimated at ₹ 15,000 crore. PDP Shipping and Projects' shares were set to debut on the BSE SME platform.
Global Market Influences
Asian stocks advanced, supported by US data that alleviated recession fears and sparked renewed optimism for Chinese tech companies. Major Asian markets saw gains, with the MSCI Asia ex Japan rising by around 0.9%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index jumped 2.5% to a three-year high, led by tech stocks, driven by China's stimulus and strong economic data. Japan’s Nikkei surged 1.2% to a nearly 3-week high, tracking Wall Street’s gains. German shares also rose ahead of a vote on debt reforms. However, investors remained cautious over potential U.S. tariffs, the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision, and ongoing geopolitical risks.
Commodity Market Updates
Gold prices continued their upward march, hitting a record high of ₹ 90,750 per 10 grams for 24-carat purity on March 17. Gold also hit a record $3,000/ounce and ₹ 88,513/10g on MCX, with its market capitalization estimated to have exceeded $20 trillion. This rally was fueled by a weaker US dollar, escalating geopolitical tensions, and cautious investor sentiment. Oil prices were little changed due to global growth concerns and geopolitical developments.
Key Economic Factors and Events
Investors were keenly awaiting the US Federal Reserve’s stance on interest rates at its two-day meeting that began on March 18. China's retail sales growth picking up in January-February provided some relief. The market capitalization of gold hitting a $20 trillion milestone indicated safe-haven demand amidst economic uncertainty. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) have pulled out over $17 billion from Indian equities in 2025. Analysts advised Adani investors to push for bond buybacks to manage upcoming debt maturities.
Mid day updates -March 18 ,2025
The Indian stock market witnessed strong momentum on March 18, 2025, with both Sensex and Nifty showing robust gains during mid-day trading. Positive global cues, easing inflation concerns, and sectoral rallies in financials and metals contributed to the upbeat sentiment.
Sensex and Nifty Performance
- Sensex: The BSE Sensex surged by over 643 points, trading at 74,813.22, up by 0.87% by mid-day.
- Nifty: The NSE Nifty climbed 208.65 points to trade at 22,717.40, marking a gain of 0.93%.
The rally was supported by optimism surrounding China's economic recovery and improved domestic macroeconomic indicators, including a drop in retail inflation to 3.61% in February.
Top Gainers
- Opening Price: ₹1,714.35
- Mid-Day Price: ₹1,725.85
- % Change: +1.20%
Sun Pharma led the market rally as healthcare stocks gained traction amid favorable sectoral outlooks.
- Opening Price: ₹282.00
- Mid-Day Price: ₹283.27
- % Change: +1.19%
BEL benefited from optimism surrounding defense contracts and government spending.
- Opening Price: ₹5,185.50
- Mid-Day Price: ₹5,226.45
- % Change: +1.30%
- Opening Price: ₹1,285.50
- Mid-Day Price: ₹1,293.40
- % Change: +1.92%
- Opening Price: ₹1,597.55
- Mid-Day Price: ₹1,596.25
- % Change: +0.38%
- M&M (Mahindra & Mahindra):
- Opening Price: ₹2,732.30
- Mid-Day Price: ₹2,759.00
- % Change: +1.99%
Top Losers
- Opening Price: ₹685.95
- Mid-Day Price: ₹677.15
- % Change: -0.20%
IndusInd Bank continued its sharp decline due to concerns over derivative portfolio discrepancies.
- Opening Price: ₹260.00
- Mid-Day Price: ₹259.70
- % Change: -0.058%
- Opening Price: ₹1,900.00
- Mid-Day Price: ₹1,839.85
- % Change: -1.70%
- Opening Price: ₹262.15
- Mid-Day Price: ₹261.50
- % Change: -0.03%
Market Sentiment
The rally was driven by:
- Positive global cues from Asia and Wall Street.
- China's retail sales growth boosting sentiment across Asian markets.
- Domestic macroeconomic improvements, including easing inflation and rising industrial production.
While financials and metals led the gains, IT stocks continued to face pressure due to weak global demand.
Conclusion
The Indian stock market remained buoyant during mid-day trading on March 18, with gains across major sectors offsetting losses in IT and auto stocks.
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