The Indian equity market ended in the green on Tuesday, April 16, 2025, as banking and PSU stocks lifted investor sentiment, even as consumer, metal, and healthcare names faced selling pressure. The Sensex advanced 309.40 points, or 0.40%, to close at 77,044.29, while the Nifty 50 climbed 108.65 points, or 0.47%, to end at 23,437.20.

This marked another day of gains for benchmark indices, continuing the upward trend seen so far this week.

Sectoral Overview

Among the sectoral indices, PSU banks, media, and oil & gas stocks emerged as the top performers, registering gains of 1% to 2%. Meanwhile, auto, IT, and pharma stocks witnessed mild profit booking.

The Nifty Bank index, in particular, remained resilient, supported by strong moves in Axis Bank, Canara Bank, and Federal Bank.

On the other hand, the Nifty Metal index cooled off after its recent rally, dragged by Hindalco, JSW Steel, and Hindustan Zinc, amid renewed global trade worries.

Top Gainers

IREDA (+9%)

IREDA shares soared over 9% following a robust Q4FY25 earnings announcement. The company reported a 49% YoY jump in net profit, reaching ₹501.55 crore, up from ₹337.39 crore in Q4FY24. This rise was driven by a sharp growth in lending activities and expanding its green energy loan book. The stock has rallied over 20% in the past month, cementing its position as a midcap outperformer.

Axis Bank (+4%)

Axis Bank emerged as the top gainer in the Nifty Bank index, closing nearly 4% higher. The rally was driven by positive management commentary, along with improved sector outlook post-recent earnings upgrades from several brokerages.

ICICI Prudential (+4%)

ICICI Prudential’s stock jumped 4%, driven by better-than-expected margins in Q4FY25. Motilal Oswal reiterated a 'buy' rating with a target of ₹2,200, while Goldman Sachs maintained a 'neutral' stance. Bernstein, meanwhile, classified the stock as ‘market perform’.

ABB India (+3%)

ABB India shares rose 3% after domestic brokerage Motilal Oswal reiterated a ‘buy’ rating with a target price of ₹6,700. The company’s annual report highlighted expansion plans into Tier 2 cities and focused R&D in high-growth verticals.

Landmark Cars (+3%)

Shares of Landmark Cars rose 3% on the back of a strong Q4 business update. The company recorded a 17.3% YoY jump in consolidated revenue, reaching ₹1,525 crore, driven by strong vehicle sales and a growing after-sales service footprint.

ICICI Bank (+0.5%)

ICICI Bank ended 0.5% higher, even after announcing a 0.25% cut in savings account interest rate. The move comes in line with HDFC Bank’s recent rate cuts, as major private banks adjust to RBI’s dovish monetary stance.

Top Losers

Gensol Engineering (-5%)

Gensol Engineering continued its sharp fall, losing another 5% as SEBI issued an interim order against the company’s promoters, Anmol Singh Jaggi and Puneet Singh Jaggi. The order revealed alleged fund diversion, pledge-related concerns, and misleading disclosures, prompting regulatory action including a halt on a planned 1:10 stock split.

Hindalco (-2%)

Shares of Hindalco dropped over 2%, tracking a broader weakness in the metal space, after US President Donald Trump launched a probe into potential new tariffs on critical mineral imports. The trade tensions with China added to volatility.

Tata Motors (-1.5%)

Tata Motors’ shares declined 1.5%, reversing the previous day’s gains. The dip was attributed to tariff-related uncertainties and concerns over auto exports in light of potential new trade restrictions from the United States.

Broader Market Action

The BSE Midcap index rose by 0.5%, while the Smallcap index surged nearly 1%, indicating broad-based participation in the rally.

Stocks from the media, PSU banks, and energy sectors led the gains, while the auto, IT, and metal sectors capped overall upside.

Global Cues and Investor Sentiment

Globally, markets remained mixed with investors reacting to the US inflation data and upcoming earnings season. Domestically, the focus was on:

• Q4 earnings, which are gradually picking up pace

• SEBI regulatory actions, especially after Gensol’s order

• Policy commentary from the RBI regarding liquidity and interest rates

Investor sentiment remains cautiously optimistic, with a rotation visible from expensive growth stocks to safer largecap names in banking and infrastructure.

Summary

The Indian markets ended higher on April 16, supported by banking stocks, while metals, autos, and a few midcaps like Gensol witnessed sharp losses.

The SEBI crackdown, earnings season, and global macro uncertainties will continue to influence sentiment in the sessions ahead.

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