Taking Stock | Foreign buying, oil cooloff take Nifty to highest closing of 2025 at over 24,450

sensex

Benchmark indices ended at their highest closing level for 2025 on May 5, buoyed by recent foreign institutional inflows and an improved sentiment driven by declining crude oil prices.

At the close, the Sensex settled at 80797, rising 0.4 percent or 295 points, while the Nifty 50 climbed 0.47 percent or 114.45 points to 24461. BSE Midcap gained 1.45 percent while BSE Smallcap advanced 1.23 percent.

Benchmark indices have now gained for 12 out of last 16 sessions, supported by renewed buying interest from foreign investors. During this period, both Sensex and Nifty 50 have surged more than 10 percent. In the last 11 sessions alone, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have net purchased over Rs 38,300 crore worth of equities, according to NSDL data.

Bringing further relief, Brent crude prices have fallen below $60 per barrel, marking a decline of nearly 20 percent year-to-date. This drop offers respite on the current account, at a time when export momentum is muted, owing to tariff-related uncertainties.

India’s growth prospects are encouraging FIIs to remain active in domestic equities, while expectations of easing inflation may provide stability to bond markets, despite recent fluctuations.

Outlook for 6 May

Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments

The market has sustained its positive momentum, though the level of optimism has decreased. Continued foreign inflows and record GST collections in April indicate resilience in economic activity, fostering mild hopefulness. A weak dollar and a decline in oil prices have further bolstered FII sentiment. However, the market's momentum is moderating, with action shifting from broad-based movements to stock and sector-specific trends based on results. Over the past month, the broad market has recouped more than 50% of the losses incurred during the consolidation period from September 2024 to March 2025. Q4 results to date have been sluggish, and there is a thin layer of caution due to border tensions, which could have a short-term impact on the market.

Index	Prices	Change	Change%
Sensex	75,273.45	1,205.00	+1.63%
Nifty 50	23,306.45	394.05	+1.72%
Nifty Bank	53,708.10	1,102.45	+2.10%

Nifty 50 23,306.45 394.05 (1.72%)

Wed, Mar 25, 2026

• 1D
• 5D
• 1M
• 3M
• 6M
• 1Y
• 2Y

Biggest Gainer	Prices	Change	Change%
Shriram Finance	956.00	52.40	+5.80%

Biggest Loser	Prices	Change	Change%
Tech Mahindra	1,408.50	-24.20	-1.69%

Best Sector	Prices	Change	Change%
Nifty PSU Bank	8581.05	223.50	+2.67%

Worst Sector	Prices	Change	Change%
Nifty IT	29671.30	22.40	+0.08%

Aditya Gaggar Director of Progressive Shares

After a strong opening, the Index remained rangebound throughout the day and eventually ended the session at 24,461.15 with gains of 114.45 points. Except for Bank Nifty and PSU Banks, all sectoral indices closed in the green, with Auto and Energy emerging as the top performers. The real momentum was witnessed in the broader markets, where Midcap and Smallcap indices advanced significantly, outperforming the Frontline Index. Despite the gains, the Index continues to face resistance near the 24,500 levels. A sustained move above this threshold could propel it further towards 24,630, while on the downside, 24,360 is expected to act as immediate support.

Sundar Kewat, Technical and Derivatives Analyst, Ashika Institutional Equity

The Nifty opened on a mildly positive note at 24,419, touched a high of 24,526.40, and slipped to an intraday low of 24,400.65. Sectoral performance was mixed, with notable strength in Automobile, Oil & Gas, Consumption, Energy, and Consumer Goods. However, banking stocks remained under pressure, dragging on overall market momentum. Gains were capped as investor sentiment turned cautious amid escalating geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan, prompting a defensive stance despite support from select sectors.

In the derivatives segment, 196 stocks advanced while 25 declined. Noteworthy open interest build-up was seen in Adani Total Gas (ATGL), Indian Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, State Bank of India (SBIN), and Avenue Supermarts (DMART). Within the Nifty options chain, the highest open interest on the call side was observed at the 24,500 and 26,000 strikes, whereas put side accumulation was noted at the 24,400 and 24,000 levels. The Put-Call Ratio (PCR) stood at 0.82, suggesting a slightly cautious undertone in the near term.