- Sensex closed at 72,989.93, down 96.01 points (-0.13%). The index fluctuated between 73,033.18 (high) and 72,633.54 (low) during the session.
- Nifty 50 settled at 22,082.65, down 36.65 points (-0.17%). It touched a high of 22,105.05 and a low of 21,964.60 during intraday trade.
Despite the dip in large-cap indices, mid and small-cap stocks gained:
- Nifty Smallcap100 rose 0.69%
- Nifty Midcap100 inched up 0.05%
What dragged the market down?
- Trade war concerns: US President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China added to global trade worries.
- Foreign capital outflows: Investors pulled money out of Indian equities, fearing slowing economic growth.
- Weakness in Auto, IT, and Pharma stocks: Several sectoral indices struggled, with top players seeing steep declines.
Impact on the stock market
It was a mixed day for sectoral indices on the NSE, with some sectors gaining and others struggling.
Sectoral Gainers
- Nifty Media jumped 2.39%, bouncing back from the previous day’s selloff.
- Nifty PSU Bank rose 1.55%, with SBI leading the gains.
- Nifty Oil & Gas, Financial Services, Metal, and Bank indices ended with gains ranging between 0.34% – 0.62%.
Sectoral Losers
- Nifty Auto was the biggest loser, down 1.38%, dragged by Bajaj Auto and Hero MotoCorp.
- Nifty IT fell 0.93%, as fears of a slowing US economy weighed on tech stocks.
- Nifty FMCG, Pharma, and Realty also ended in the red, with losses between 0.11% – 0.61%.
You may also like: What is pink tax- How is it impacting you?
| Sector/Index | Performance |
| IT & BPM sector | -0.90% |
| Healthcare sector | -0.01% |
| Oil & Gas sector | 0.66% |
| Real estate sector | 0.10% |
| PSU Bank in India | 1.56% |
Top gainers today
| Company | Price | Change % |
| BPCL Share Price | 249.92 | 3.10 |
| SBI Share Price | 716.05 | 2.98 |
| Bharat Elec Share Price | 264.71 | 2.84 |
| Shriram Finance Share Price | 632.90 | 1.87 |
| Adani Enterpris Share Price | 2,144.80 | 1.31 |
Top losers today
| Company | Price | Change % |
| Bajaj Auto Share Price | 7,333.30 | -4.95 |
| Hero Motocorp Share Price | 3,514.85 | -3.19 |
| Bajaj Finserv Share Price | 1,790.30 | -2.62 |
| HCL Tech Share Price | 1,535.50 | -2.35 |
| Eicher Motors Share Price | 4,815.10 | -1.86 |
Market aftermath: Impact on stocks
Bajaj Auto crashes 5%, hits 52-week low
Bajaj Auto shares tanked 5% to ₹7,324, marking a new 52-week low. The stock has fallen 18% in the last month, mainly due to weak February sales numbers.
- Total sales rose just 2% YoY to 3,52,071 units, up from 3,46,662 units a year ago.
- Domestic sales fell 14% to 1,46,138 units, raising concerns about consumer demand.
- The only bright spot? Exports surged 23% to 1,53,280 units, preventing an even bigger decline.
IT and Pharma stocks tumble as Trump’s tariffs hit exports
Donald Trump’s new tariffs on Canada and Mexico spooked investors, leading to a sharp selloff in export-dependent stocks like IT and Pharma.
- LTI Mindtree was the biggest loser in IT, dropping 4% to ₹4,647.
- Coforge, Persistent, and HCL Tech fell 2% each.
- Mphasis slid 1% to ₹2,237.
- Infosys, Wipro, and Tech Mahindra also ended in the red.
- TCS bucked the trend, closing marginally higher.
Pharma stocks mirrored the decline:
- Nifty Pharma Index fell as much as 1.31%.
- Investors worried about tariffs hurting Indian drug exports to the US.
Senores Pharma jumps 7% on acquisition news
While most pharma stocks struggled, Senores Pharmaceuticals had a great day.
- The stock soared 7.25% to ₹569, after announcing the acquisition of 14 ANDAs from Dr. Reddy’s.
- The deal is expected to expand Senores Pharma’s product portfolio in the US market.
Crude oil declines as OPEC plans to increase production
Crude oil prices fell on Tuesday as OPEC+ announced plans to gradually increase production from April.
- Brent crude dropped 0.66% to $71.15 per barrel.
- WTI crude fell 0.38% to $68.11 per barrel.
- On MCX, March crude oil futures slipped 0.43% to ₹5,963.
Why did oil prices fall?
- OPEC+ decided to raise oil production by 138,000 barrels per day, easing supply constraints.
- This move follows pressure from Donald Trump, who had urged OPEC to increase supply.
- Increased production means more supply, which can push prices lower.
Additionally, Trump’s tariffs on China and Canada could impact global demand, adding further pressure on oil prices.
Conclusion: What’s next for the markets?
The Indian stock market is caught in a global storm—trade war concerns, weak auto sales, and a decline in IT and pharma stocks dragged the indices lower.
However, PSU banks, media, and oil & gas stocks provided some stability. Meanwhile, small-cap and mid-cap stocks continued their upward momentum, indicating selective buying interest.
Looking ahead, markets will closely watch:
- US-China trade tensions and their impact on Indian exporters.
- Foreign fund flows, as FII selling have put pressure on large caps.
- Crude oil prices, impact inflation and corporate profitability.
The big question—will Nifty 50 continue its losing streak, or will buyers step in to break the trend? Stay tuned for more updates!
For more stock market insights, check out the StockGro blog
