Sensex, Nifty 50 end higher ahead of Trump tariff decision— 10 key highlights of Indian stock market today

After a two-day decline, Nifty and Sensex ended the session with strong gains on April 2, driven by a rebound in banking and IT stocks. The rally comes just ahead of US President Donald Trump’s April 2 tariff deadline, which the White House has confirmed will take effect immediately.

The Sensex closed 593 points, or 0.78 per cent, higher at 76,617.44, while the Nifty 50 settled 166.65 points, or 0.72 per cent, up at 23,332.35.

The broader market mirrored the positive sentiment with the Nifty Midcap 100 rising 1.6 per cent while the Smallcap 100 gained 1.1 per cent.

The tariffs are coming at a time when US consumer and business confidence are weakening, as concerns grow that higher duties will drive up domestic prices and potentially slow down economic activity. The recent inflation data has reinforced these concerns, as the Federal Reserve’s key inflation measure rose more than expected in February, while consumer spending increased at a slower-than-projected pace.

Here are 10 key highlights of the Indian stock market today:

1. Sectoral Trend

All sectors ended in the green. Nifty Realty was the top performer, up 3.6 per cent followed by Nifty Consumer Durables, which added 2.5 per cent. Meanwhile, Nifty Bank and Nifty FMCG jumped 1 per cent each. Nifty Auto, Nifty Financial Services, Nifty IT, and Nifty Pharma also rose around 0.8 per cent each.

2. Top 5 Nifty 50 gainers today

Tata Consumer (up 6.91 per cent), Zomato (up 4.9 per cent), Titan (up 3.7 per cent), IndusInd Bank (up 2.8 per cent), and Maruti Suzuki (up 2 per cent) ended as the top five gainers.

3. Top 5 Nifty 50 losers today

Seventeen Nifty 50 stocks ended in the red, out of which shares of Bharat Electronics (down 3.34 percent), Nestle India (down 1.3 percent), UltraTech Cement (down 1 percent), PowerGrid (down 0.9 percent), and Bajaj Finserv (down 0.7 percent) were the top losers.

4. Upper and Lower Circuits

As per BSE data, 434 stocks hit their respective upper circuits in trade today, while 153 stocks were at their respective lower circuits.

5. Most active stocks in terms of volume

According to NSE data, Vodafone Idea (92.21 crore shares), Zomato (5.94 crore shares), and Bharat Electronics (5.26 crore shares) were the most active stocks in terms of volume.

6. Over 60 stocks hit 52-week highs

Some 64 stocks, including Chambal Fertilisers, Jyothi Infraventures, Maruti Securities, AAVAS Financiers, NACL Industries and Texel Industries, hit their 52-week highs in intraday trade on BSE on Wednesday.

7. Over 80 stocks plumb 52-week lows

In intraday trade on the BSE, 85 stocks, including Happiest Minds Technologies, Bajaj Electricals, Central Bank of India, JP Associates, Orchid Pharma, and Titan, hit fresh 52-week lows.

8. Advance-decline ratio

According to provisional data, 2,813 stocks advanced on the BSE on Wednesday, 1,108 declined, and 146 remained unchanged.

9. Expert View - Fundamental

"Despite mixed global cues surrounding the impending US tariffs, the domestic market experienced steady gains. This optimism was largely driven by expectations that the tariffs would have a minimal impact on the domestic economy, given the positive progress in India-US trade negotiations. Sentiments were further reinforced by India's manufacturing PMI for March, which reached an eight-month high, hinting at a recovery in Q4FY25 corporate earnings," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited.

10. Technical View

"Following a recent correction, the index appears to be finding support around the critical 50 EMA on the daily timeframe. Additionally, the index has been holding above the falling trendline breakout point. A bullish Harami candlestick pattern has formed on the daily chart, suggesting a potential price recovery in the short term. On the lower end, 23,100 might remain a strong support level in the short term, below which weakness could increase. On the other hand, sustaining above 23,100 might provide momentum for a rally toward 23,800," said Rupak De, Senior Technical Analyst at LKP Securities.

Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.