Indian Stock Markets End FY25 on a Weak Note but Record Over 5% Annual Gains
Mumbai, March 29: Indian stock markets wrapped up the final trading session of the financial year 2024-25 (FY25) on a lower note after a volatile session. The benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, registered marginal declines on Friday, but both indices recorded over 5% annual gains for the fiscal year.
The BSE Sensex dropped 191.51 points (0.25%) to close at 77,414.92, while the NSE Nifty slipped 72.60 points (0.31%) to settle at 23,519.35.
Annual Performance and Market Trends
Despite the weakness in Friday’s session, both indices posted notable gains for the full financial year. The Sensex gained 5.11%, while the Nifty advanced 5.34% over FY25. The midcap and smallcap segments outperformed the benchmark indices, with the Nifty Midcap100 rising 5.4% and the Nifty Smallcap100 surging 7.48% during the year.
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) played a significant role in the market’s rebound in recent weeks. “Recent sessions mark a rebound from earlier declines, fueled by renewed buying from FIIs, who have injected over ₹30,000 crore in the last few trading days, shifting to net buyers,” said Krishna Appala of Capitalmind Research.
Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) also contributed to market fluctuations, alternating between net buying and selling throughout the year.
Market Breadth and Sectoral Performance
Market sentiment remained weak on the last trading day, as more stocks declined than advanced. 2,399 stocks ended in the red, while 1,454 stocks advanced, and 116 remained unchanged.
Top Losers of the Session:
- Wipro
- IndusInd Bank
- Shriram Finance
- Cipla
- Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M)
Top Gainers of the Session:
- Tata Consumer
- Kotak Mahindra Bank
- Apollo Hospitals
- ONGC
- ICICI Bank
Sectorally, most indices closed in the red, except for FMCG and oil & gas, which managed to stay positive. The worst-performing sectors were:
- IT
- Auto
- Realty
- Media
The BSE Midcap index declined 0.7%, while the Smallcap index fell 0.4%, reflecting broader selling pressure.
Meanwhile, the India VIX, a measure of market volatility, rose 4.37% to 12.72 points, indicating increased investor caution.
Rupee Strengthens; Gold Prices Stay High
The Indian rupee strengthened against the US dollar, rising 32 paise to 85.46 per dollar, compared to Thursday’s closing rate of 85.78. The rally was driven by strong FII inflows of ₹11,111 crore, which boosted sentiment.
Jateen Trivedi of LKP Securities stated, “Looking ahead, positive FII cues are likely to sustain the upbeat sentiment for the rupee.”
Gold prices continued to trade higher due to persistent tariff concerns, maintaining an elevated range between ₹87,500 – ₹89,750 per 10 grams, according to market experts.
Market Closure for Eid, Trading Resumes April 1
Indian stock markets will remain closed on Monday, March 31, due to Eid celebrations. Trading will resume on Tuesday, April 1, marking the first session of the new financial year (FY26).