The Sensex surged by 1,436.30 points or 1.83%, closing at 79,943.71, just shy of the 80,000 mark. Earlier in the day, the index scaled an intraday high of 80,032.87.
NSE Nifty50 followed suit, ending the session 445.75 points higher at 24,188.65, reflecting a 1.88% gain. The index traded within a broad range, peaking at 24,226.70 and dipping to 23,751.55 during the day.
Gains extended to Consumer Durables and Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), which posted increases of 1.75% and 1.68%, respectively. Midcap and smallcap stocks mirrored the positive sentiment, with the Nifty Midcap100 index rising by 1.14% and the Nifty Smallcap100 gaining 0.64%.
Impact on the stock market
Sectoral performance
Auto and IT stocks led the market’s rally, with the Nifty Auto index surging by 3.79% and the Nifty IT index rising by 2.10%. Financial services also had a strong session, as the Nifty Financial Services index climbed 1.94%.
The only sector to close in the red was the Nifty Media index, which lagged behind the broader market uptrend.
| Sector/Index | Performance |
| IT & BPM sector | 0.48% |
| Healthcare sector | 0.13% |
| Oil & Gas sector | 1.16% |
| Real estate sector | 0.32% |
| PSU Bank in India | 2.60% |
Top gainers today
| Company | Price | Change % |
| Eicher Motors Share Price | 5,308.10 | 8.65 |
| Bajaj Finserv Share Price | 1,700.65 | 7.88 |
| Bajaj Finance Share Price | 7,389.20 | 6.54 |
| Maruti Suzuki Share Price | 11,841.30 | 5.65 |
| Shriram Finance Share Price | 3,060.05 | 4.84 |
Top losers today
| Company | Price | Change % |
| Sun Pharma Share Price | 1,864.95 | -0.63 |
| Britannia Share Price | 4,723.10 | -0.14 |
Market aftermath: Impact on stocks
Ashok Leyland accelerates on robust sales
Ashok Leyland shares jumped by 5% to ₹233 after the company posted better-than-expected December sales figures. Total sales for December climbed by 5% YoY, reaching 16,957 units. The medium and heavy commercial vehicles segment spearheaded the growth, registering an 8% YoY increase, driven by strong truck demand.
Despite the surge, the stock has seen minor volatility over the past six months, declining nearly 1% during this period.
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Jubilant Food hits 3-year high
Jubilant Foodworks Ltd., the operator of Domino’s India, hit a 3-year high, rising by 1.89% to ₹753.20. Brokerage firms expressed optimism, highlighting potential margin recovery and growth in the near term.
- Jefferies maintained a ‘High Conviction Buy’ rating, setting a target price of ₹1,000.
- Kotak Securities forecasted a modest growth trajectory, placing a ₹690 target on the stock.
- The company is banking on volume growth in Domino’s and a recalibrated store expansion strategy for Popeyes.
Bajaj Finance surges over 5% on Citi’s bullish stance
Bajaj Finance shares soared by 5.34% to ₹7,306.05 following Citi’s reiteration of a ‘Buy’ rating. Citi expects the stock to rally further, with a target price of ₹8,150, reflecting a 17.5% upside from the previous close.
The brokerage cited stable loan growth, mortgage financing, and sales financing as key drivers, along with expectations of an improved net interest margin (NIM) by 3-5 basis points.
Over the past two sessions, Bajaj Finance shares have surged by nearly 7%.
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Crude oil outlook: Positive momentum amid China’s recovery hopes
Crude oil futures edged higher following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s optimistic outlook on economic progress for 2025. This signaled a potential uptick in global crude demand, as China remains one of the largest consumers of oil.
- Brent March Futures: $74.86/barrel, +0.29%
- WTI February Futures: $71.95/barrel, +0.32%
- MCX Crude January Futures: ₹6183, +0.19%
Xi highlighted economic resilience and confidence in overcoming global uncertainties. A stronger Chinese recovery bodes well for commodities, including crude oil.
Conclusion
The Indian stock market is off to a robust start in 2025, with broad-based gains lifting indices. Auto, IT, and Financial Services sectors emerged as key winners, while individual stocks like Ashok Leyland, Jubilant Food, and Bajaj Finance added to the excitement.
As market sentiment remains positive, all eyes are on upcoming earnings and global cues that could shape the trajectory in the coming weeks.
For more stock market insights, check out the StockGro blog.
