On Friday, the Indian stock market ended on a strong note, continuing its winning streak. The BSE Sensex closed at 76,905.51, up 0.73 per cent or 557.45 points, while the NSE Nifty 50 climbed 0.69 per cent or 159.75 points to 23,350.40. The Nifty 50 broke through the 23,300 resistance level, driven by banking, oil & gas, and pharma stocks.
Initially cautious due to global market volatility and trade tensions, the indices maintained their upward trend on the back of strong domestic consumption themes.
Top Gainers:
- NTPC Ltd led the gains, rising 2.78 per cent to ₹351.15 on increased demand in the energy sector.
- Bajaj Finance followed, up 2.75 per cent to ₹8,918.60 supported by strong institutional buying.
- Kotak Mahindra Bank gained 2.41 per cent to ₹2,084.40 amid renewed optimism in banking stocks.
- Axis Bank rose 2.13 per cent to ₹1,075.90, while Nestlé India climbed 2.03 per cent to ₹2,266.45.
Top Losers:
- Infosys declined 1.34 per cent to ₹1,592.60, tracking weakness in the IT sector.
- Tata Steel slipped 1.10 per cent to ₹157.25 due to profit-booking in the metal sector.
- Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) fell 1.08 per cent to ₹2,799.30, while Titan dropped 0.91 per cent to ₹3,163.60.
- Bajaj Finserv saw a modest decline of 0.63 per cent, closing at ₹1,839.65.
The market’s momentum was driven by banking and energy stocks, while IT and metal stocks saw profit-booking. The Nifty Bank index rose 1.02 per cent, and the Nifty Oil & Gas index gained 1.45 per cent.
(Source: The Hindu Business Line, published on March 21, 2025)
