Indian Stocks Rise Amid Tariff Worries and Global Cues

Indian markets closed higher Monday as U.S. Treasury Secretary reassured investors. The BSE Sensex rose 341.04 points, while the NSE Nifty gained 111.55 points, despite tariff concerns lingering in the background.

Date: 17-03-2025

AI Rating: 6

Market Performance and Influences
Indian stock markets showed a positive response, closing higher, driven by reassurances from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The benchmark BSE Sensex increased by 341.04 points (0.4 percent), concluding at 74,169.95, while the NSE Nifty rose by 111.55 points (0.5 percent) to close at 22,508.75.

However, the trading activity was somewhat restrained due to ongoing tariff concerns and the pending monetary policy announcements from major central banks, including the Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, and Bank of England. U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he would not create exemptions for steel and aluminum tariffs, which suggests that businesses may face additional costs, and this could influence investor sentiment negatively.

Stock Movements
Within the market, there was a contrasting performance among individual stocks. Notable gainers included Axis Bank, Trent, Bajaj FinServ, SBI Life, and Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, all of which saw price increases of 2-4 percent. On the downside, firms like ITC, Hero MotoCorp, BPCL, and Wipro fell by over 1 percent. This indicates a mixed sentiment, reflecting underlying concerns about specific sectors in the face of tariff discussions.

Market Breadth
The overall market breadth was negative, highlighting that a significant number of shares (2,502) declined compared to those that advanced (1,617), showing cautious investor behavior in light of external economic factors.

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