Stock Market Today: Nifty Holds 24,989, Sensex at 81,488 as Tata Motors, IT Stocks Weigh Down

Overview

• Nifty traded at 24,989 (-0.27%) and Sensex at 81,488 (-0.28%), reflecting cautious investor sentiment.

• Tata Motors shares, Asian Paints, and Trent were among the top losers, while Bharat Electronics and Hindalco gained.

• Corporate actions, renewable energy funding, and Natco Pharma’s demerger news sparked sectoral optimism despite FII outflows.

The stock market today saw subdued trading at the time of writing. The benchmark indices struggled to maintain momentum amid mixed sectoral performance.  They are reflecting cautious investor sentiment across domestic markets. Nifty 50 settled at 24,989.20 points, declining by 67.70 points or 0.27%, while the Sensex was at 81,488.48 points, shedding 227.15 points or 0.28%.

The banking sector showed resilience with Nifty Bank index dropping only 42.80 points or 0.08% to 55,078.70. The technology secretary struggled the most, with the Nifty IT index falling  0.46% to 34,834.45. Meanwhile, BSE Smallcap index showed relative stability, down by 0.16% to 53,686.39. Let’s see how different stocks and the market performed today in detail based on Moneycontrol Live Updates. 

Top Gainers and Losers

In Nifty 50 stocks, Bharat Electronics shares led the gainers' list, surging 1.96% to Rs. 403.20. Hindalco followed with a 1.29% gain to Rs. 750.60, while ONGC added 0.73% to reach Rs. 240.25. Hero MotoCorp and Adani Enterprises rounded out the top gainers, rising 0.62% and 0.54% respectively.

On the other hand, Tata Motors share price faced the steepest decline, falling 3.23% to Rs. 660.90. Trent dropped 2.14% to Rs. 4,792, while Asian Paints declined 1.80% to Rs. 2,413. Shriram Finance and Dr. Reddy's Labs also featured among the top losers.

Active Trading and Corporate Developments

Trading activity was strong in the stock market today. ICICI Bank was one of the most actively traded stocks with Rs. 741.46 crore in trading value, falling 0.50% to Rs. 1,375.80.

BSE Limited witnessed good trading interest with Rs. 723.66 crore in turnover, though the stock declined 1.18% to Rs. 2,052.00. HDFC Bank stock bucked the trend among active stocks, gaining 0.29% to Rs. 953.85 with trading volume of Rs. 692.99 crore.

The stock market today displayed mixed sectoral trends that shaped overall market sentiment. The metal index emerged as the top performer, gaining 1%, while the telecom sector added 0.5%. At the same time, the auto sector faced headwinds, declining 0.5%.

Motilal Oswal Financial Services Outlook

Mr. Manav Modi, Analyst at Precious Metal -Research, Motilal Oswal Financial Services, commented, “Gold prices fell from the peak in yesterday's session amidst some profit booking, volatility in USDINR, a slight rise in dollar index, and mixed comments from Governor Powell. 

One week after the rate cut, Fed Governor Powell said the US central bank faces a ‘challenging situation’ with ongoing risks of faster-than-expected inflation while weak job growth raises concerns about labor market health. He offered little clarity on when the Fed might next cut interest rates.”

Mr. Manav Modi further noted, “San Francisco Fed President Daly said she ‘fully supported’ the decision by the Fed to cut its policy rate last week and expects further reductions ahead. Geo-political unrest continues to support haven buying, NATO warned Russia that it would use ‘all necessary military and non-military tools’ to defend itself as it condemned Moscow for violating Estonian airspace in ‘a pattern of increasingly irresponsible behaviour.’”

Also Read: Tata Investment Share Price Surges 11% to Rs. 9,100 Ahead of 1:10 Stock Split

Share Market News and Corporate Developments

V-Guard Industries registered its strongest gain in five weeks, jumping 6.24% to Rs. 388.45. Natco Pharma's board approved the demerger of its agro business into a separate entity, as reported by Financial Express. It is aimed at unlocking value for shareholders. The management believes this strategic move will enable focused operations and improved long-term growth prospects.

Bartronics India announced a strategic partnership with Huwel Life Sciences. Hence, committing up to Rs. 50 crore investment for a 15% equity stake. The company also secured an option to increase its stake by an additional 15%.

According to Business Standard, KPI Green Energy experienced its best performance in eight weeks, rising 2.11% to Rs. 474.45. The hike came after the company secured a Rs. 3,200 crore sanction from the State Bank of India for renewable energy projects. The funding will support the development of 250 MW solar and 370 MW hybrid projects in Gujarat.

Maharashtra Seamless gained 2.59% to Rs. 618.85 following news of securing orders worth Rs. 256 crore as per a CNBC TV 18 report. Tata Steel invested Rs. 4,054.66 crore in its overseas unit T Steel Holdings, maintaining its wholly-owned subsidiary status.

Foreign Investment Flows

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) continued their selling spree in the stock market today, with net outflows of Rs. 2,425.75 crore. However, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) provided support with net purchases of Rs. 1,211.68 crore, partially offsetting the foreign selling pressure. 

Currency and IPO Activity

The Indian rupee showed marginal strength, trading at 88.62 per dollar compared to the previous close of 88.69. In the primary market, TruAlt Bioenergy IPO recorded 6% subscription on its opening day, while iValue Infosolutions shares listed at a 5% discount to their IPO price, according to a Moneycontrol report.

Also Read: Stock Market Today: Sensex at 81,704, Nifty Down 101 Points; Tata Motors Falls 2.05%, Bajaj Electricals Jumps 7.48%

Market Outlook

Despite the Indian stock market’s mixed performance, experts remain optimistic about India's growth trajectory, especially in data centres and renewable energy sectors.

Choice Equity Broking said, “Given the backdrop of heightened volatility and mixed global cues, traders are advised to maintain a cautious ‘buy-on-dips’ strategy. Booking partial profits on rallies and keeping tight trailing stop-losses is recommended to manage risk. Fresh long positions should only be considered if the Nifty sustains above the 25,250 mark. While the broader trend remains cautiously bullish, close tracking of key technical levels and global developments will be crucial to navigate the current market environment."

The diversified investment approach across infrastructure, technology, and traditional sectors continues to attract both domestic and strategic investors. This positions the Indian stock market for sustained long-term growth opportunities.

FAQs

1. Why did the stock market trade lower today?
The market traded lower due to mixed sectoral performance, with IT and auto dragging indices. Despite gains in metals and energy, cautious sentiment from FII outflows and global economic concerns pressured the benchmarks.

2. Which sectors are the biggest winners and losers today?
The metal sector gained 1% and telecom rose 0.5%, showing resilience. In contrast, IT declined 0.46% and auto dropped 0.5%, pulling down overall indices despite relatively flat midcap and smallcap performance.

3. What were the most actively traded stocks today?
Tata Motors led activity with Rs. 1,040 crore turnover, followed by ICICI Bank and BSE Ltd. Despite heavy trading, Tata Motors fell over 3%, while HDFC Bank managed modest gains.

4. How did foreign and domestic investors influence the Indian stock market today?
FIIs sold shares worth Rs. 2,425 crore, putting downward pressure on indices. However, DIIs supported markets with Rs. 1,211 crore in net buying, partially balancing the foreign-led selling spree.

5. What is the near-term outlook for the Indian stock market?
Experts expect cautious but optimistic momentum, with growth drivers in renewable energy, infrastructure, and corporate restructuring. Sector-specific opportunities may help offset volatility from global cues and continued FII selling pressure.