SOURCE : NEW18 NEWS
Last Updated:April 25, 2025, 16:00 IST
Indian equity markets are expected to open on a cautious note, influenced by a combination of geopolitical and global developments
Sensex Today.
Sensex Today: Benchmark equity indices, the BSE Sensex and the NSE Nifty, came under intense selling pressure on Friday as geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan escalated following the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
The Sensex, which had touched an early high of 80,131, plunged sharply amid reports of a ceasefire violation along the India-Pakistan border. The index nosedived 1,525 points to hit an intraday low of 78,606. However, a partial recovery in the latter half helped it trim losses and close at 79,213, down 589 points or 0.7 per cent.
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Similarly, the NSE Nifty 50 climbed to a high of 24,365 before slipping into the red. It hit an intraday low of 23,848 — a drop of 517 points — and eventually settled 207 points, or 0.9 per cent, lower at 24,039.
Despite Friday’s sell-off, both benchmark indices ended the week on a positive note. The Sensex gained 660 points over the week, while the Nifty advanced by 187 points.
Among the top drags on the Sensex were Axis Bank, which extended losses a day after announcing its Q4 results. Other major laggards included Adani Ports, Eternal (Zomato), Bajaj Finserv, Power Grid Corporation, Bajaj Finance, NTPC, Tata Motors, and SBI — all falling between 2 and 3 per cent. On the other hand, TCS, Tech Mahindra, UltraTech Cement, and Infosys bucked the trend and ended with notable gains.
The broader markets saw even sharper declines. The BSE MidCap and SmallCap indices both fell more than 2 per cent. Market breadth was heavily skewed in favour of bears, with over 3,250 declining stocks compared to just around 700 advancing on the BSE.
Sectorally, Realty, Healthcare, and Power indices led the decline, each falling up to 3 per cent. The Auto, Capital Goods, Consumer Durables, and Metal sectors dropped around 2 per cent, while the Bankex and FMCG indices slipped roughly 1 per cent each.
Global Market
Overnight, US stocks closed sharply higher, boosted by a rally in technology and optimism around easing inflation concerns. The S&P 500 surged 2.03% to settle at 5,484.77, while the Nasdaq Composite jumped 2.74% to finish at 17,166.04. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 1.23%, closing at 40,093.40.
In early trade, US stock futures were mixed. S&P 500 futures rose 0.37%, and Nasdaq-100 futures gained 0.49%, while Dow Jones futures hovered near the flatline, slipping 0.03%.
Asian equities mirrored the upbeat global sentiment. Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed 1.41%, South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.79%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was up 0.78%. China’s CSI 300 posted a modest gain of 0.28%. Markets in Australia remained closed in observance of the Anzac Day holiday.
