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Stock Market Today Highlights: The Indian stock market closed with strong gains on Wednesday, following a rally in global markets, amid optimism over the resumption of US-Iran peace talks.

The Sensex ended 1263.67 points or 1.64% higher across the board buying. The Nifty 50 index, meanwhile, closed at 24,231, up 389 points or 1.63%

Broader markets outperformed the frontline indices. The Nifty Smallcap 100 index and the Nifty Midcap 100 index closed over 2% each.

All the sectoral indices were trading in the green, with the Nifty IT emerging as the best performer following a massive 2.8% rise. Nifty Media and Nifty Realty also added over 2% each.

Signs of de-escalation in the US-Iran war improved investor risk-appetite after US President Donald Trump told the New York Post that the talks to end the Iran war could resume in Pakistan over the next two days.

Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said that optimism around potential US–Iran negotiations supported a broad-based market sentiment, driving oil prices below $100 as expectations of talks outweighed concerns over supply disruption.

Despite a muted Q4 outlook, investors remain encouraged by attractive valuations and a relatively better FY27 earnings outlook, indicating that the rally could sustain momentum in the near term, he said.

Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said: Optimism around potential U.S.–Iran negotiations supported a broad-based market sentiment, driving oil prices below USD 100 as expectations of talks outweighed concerns over supply disruption. Despite a muted Q4 outlook, investors remain encouraged by attractive valuations and a relatively better FY27 earnings outlook, indicating that the rally could sustain momentum in the near term. The decline in India’s 10‑year bond yield and a drop in India VIX further signal stability. Sector‑wise, resilient demand expectations supported gains in the Power and Consumer Durables indices, while easing global risk sentiment enabled the IT index to outperform.

Broader markets also rejoiced and outperformed the barometer index. Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 100 indices closed 2.20% and 2.35%, respectively as against a 1.63% rise in the Nifty 50 index.

Among the key sectoral indices, all ended higher with Nifty IT leading the charge with a 2.84% increase. It had declined over 1% each in the last two trading sessions. Nifty Media and Nifty Realty also added over 2% each.

Among the Sensex pack of stocks, only three ended in the red and 27 closed higher. IndiGo emerged as the top performer, followed by Eternal and PowerGrid. On the other hand, Airtel, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank were the only losers.

BSE Sensex ended 1263.67 points or 1.64% higher amid across the board buying following optimism around peace hopes in West Asia, which pulled crude oil prices lower and lifted investor mood. The Nifty 50 index, meanwhile, closed at 24,231, up 389 points or 1.63%

The country's merchandise exports dropped 7.44 per cent to USD 38.92 billion in March, according to government data released on Wednesday.

Imports too dipped by 6.51 per cent to USD 59.59 billion last year from USD 63.75 billion recorded in the year-ago month, reflecting disruptions in major trade routes like the Strait of Hormuz due to the conflict in West Asia.

(Source: PTI)

US stock index futures were largely unchanged on Wednesday. At 05:00 a.m. ET, Dow e-minis and U.S. S&P 500 E-minis were flat, while Nasdaq 100 E-minis rose 35.5 points, or 0.14%.

The Board of Directors of Elecon Engineering has recommended the Final Dividend of ₹1.50/- (i.e. 150%) per Equity Share of Re. 1.00/- each for the financial year 2025-26.

Indian equities staged a strong recovery, with the BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 advancing amid easing geopolitical tensions and softer crude oil prices. The primary catalyst was reduced anxiety around the Middle East situation, which led to a drop in oil, beneficial for India’s inflation outlook and current account balance. Supportive global market cues further lifted sentiment.

On the sectoral front, oil marketing companies, aviation, metals, and IT stocks outperformed, driven by lower cost pressures and a pickup in risk appetite. That said, uncertainty around foreign institutional investor flows persists, while potential earnings downgrades could limit valuation expansion.

Markets also remain highly reactive to movements in crude prices and geopolitical developments. In the near term, the outlook appears range-bound with a mild positive bias. A sustained uptrend will hinge on stable crude prices, resilient earnings performance, and continued strength in global market sentiment.

— Pranay Aggarwal, Director and CEO of Stoxkart

Paras Defence and Space Technologies Limited has signed an Agreement with Bandak Aviation Inc. DBA Northstar, USA to supply and support Northstar products such as air-to-air refueling systems & accessories along with associated services for Indian Armed Forces.

Amid this announcement, Paras Defence stock was trading higher on BSE at ₹766.50, up 8.6%.

India’s wholesale inflation rose to 3.88% in March — the highest in more than three years — breaking a six-month run of subdued readings through December 2025. Wholesale price inflation (WPI) stood at 2.05% in March 2025. Since July last year, wholesale prices had either contracted or grown by less than 1%. The trend began reversing in January, when inflation came in at 1.81% following two consecutive months of deflation in October and November. WPI inflation had risen further to 2.13% in February.

HG Infra Engineering share price jumped 19% after the company secured an order worth ₹519.33 crore from Mirzapur Thermal Energy Limited for civil and p-way works in Uttar Pradesh.

The scope of work includes execution of civil works such as earthwork, bridges, and station buildings, along with permanent way (p-way) works for railway infrastructure development at the 2x800 MW thermal power project in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. The project is expected to be completed within 18 months.

If gold prices sustain above $4,850 (~ ₹1,55,000) the next upside resistance would be $5,000 (~ ₹1,60,000). As suggested earlier, silver price has given a breakout above $76.50 (~ ₹2,44,000) yesterday, the next resistance would be $82 (~ ₹2,55,000) and $87 (~ ₹2,65,000) on continued strength, said Dr. Renisha Chainani, Head - Research at Augmont.

Hopes of resumption of US-Iran talks, Israel-Lebanon talks and crash in Brent crude by $10 dollars in two days augur well for the market in the near-term. The resilience of markets worldwide, despite the IMF’s warning about a global recession if the conflict prolongs, is an indication that the market is discounting an end to the conflict soon.

In the extremely volatile scenario through which markets have been moving, it is important that investors remain invested. The benefit from sharp rebounds in the market will be lost to investors who sell out and keep away from the market, said Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited.

In the near-term large caps are likely to stage a smart comeback, but may again face headwinds when FIIs resume selling. The excellent performance of South Korean and Taiwanese markets and the significant market momentum there might nudge FPIs to sell again in India. Sustained resilience in the near-term is likely to be in mid and small caps which will not come under the pressure of FPI selling, he added.

Shares of Fujiyama Power Systems jumped nearly 6% on Wednesday, April 15, bucking broader volatility and tracking positive trends in the domestic equity market. The rally came as benchmark indices BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 advanced, mirroring strength in global markets.

Defence stocks jumped up to 10% on Wednesday, led by strong buying across the Indian stock market today. The Nifty India Defence sector rallied as much as 2.5%, with all its constituents trading in the green.

MTAR Technologies emerged as the top gainer on the Nifty India Defence index, with over 10% rally. Paras Defence and Space Technologies, Data Patterns (India), AXISCADES Technologies and Mishra Dhatu Nigam rallied 3-5%.

Markets are entering a fragile equilibrium as macro risks intensify beneath the surface. With US debt crossing $39 trillion and interest payments now exceeding defense spending, the sustainability of fiscal policy is becoming a growing concern for global investors. At the same time, geopolitical tensions continue to influence inflation dynamics, keeping oil volatile with a potential range between $84 and $119 depending on the outcome of US–Iran negotiations, said Justin Khoo, Senior Market Analyst - APAC, VT Markets.

This uncertainty is clearly reflected across asset classes; the dollar index is struggling to find direction below the 99 zone, while EURUSD holds strength above 1.16 and GBPUSD eyes higher levels toward 1.35. Meanwhile, risk assets like the S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Bitcoin are largely in a wait-and-watch mode, consolidating as markets look for clarity on both macro data and geopolitical developments.

Overall, the market is shifting from a liquidity-driven rally to a more cautious, data-dependent phase, where outcomes around inflation, debt sustainability, and geopolitical stability will dictate the next major move, he added.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected the Indian economy to grow faster than previously anticipated in 2026-2027. It expected India’s GDP growth to be 6.5% compared with its previous forecast of 6.4% in January, despite the US-Iran war-led crisis. The IMF cut its growth outlook to 3.1% real GDP growth for 2026, down 0.2 percentage point from its previous forecast in January.

Bitcoin price is trading near the $74,000 – $75,000 range, supported by renewed institutional participation and consistent accumulation by large holders. Notably, Strategy has accumulated over 19,000 BTC in just 10 days, highlighting aggressive buying by major players and reinforcing underlying demand in the market.

At the same time, inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs have picked up again, signalling growing institutional confidence and strengthening the broader market structure. This combination of whale accumulation and institutional demand is helping Bitcoin sustain higher levels despite macro uncertainty.

From a price action perspective, Bitcoin’s ability to hold above key support zones suggests that the current move is not just sentiment-driven but backed by real capital inflows. If this trend continues, the market structure points toward a potential continuation of the uptrend, with the $76,000 level emerging as the next key resistance in the near term, said Avinash Shekhar, Co-Founder & CEO, Pi42.

For investors, this phase reflects a transition where supply is gradually being absorbed by large participants, reducing selling pressure and creating a stronger base for the next leg higher, rather than indicating exhaustion at current levels, he added.

Bank Nifty index is currently facing resistance in the 56,800 – 57,000 range, which is likely to act as a key near-term hurdle. On the downside, the 56,000 – 55,800 zone (previous resistance turned support) is expected to provide immediate support, followed by a stronger base near the 55,500 level. Holding above these levels will be essential to maintain the current positive structure and sustain momentum, said Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money.

The outlook has turned positive, with sustained buying interest required to push the index higher, while maintaining above key support levels remains critical for continuation of the uptrend, he added.

The Mythos model provides a firmer foundation for AI disruption-related concerns and could pressurize the valuation multiples of IT services companies. Kotak Equities expects Mythos to increase efficiencies across all IT services segments.

“Yet, stronger agentic software engineering capabilities could result in widening the gap in productivity increase between application services (also called custom application development) and other IT services segments (including BPO),” said the brokerage firm.

Among Tier 1 Indian IT, Infosys has a higher exposure to apps, while HCL Technologies has a lower exposure. In general, mid-tier IT has a higher exposure to apps, with Persistent Systems leading the pack among the Indian names.

Nifty 50 index is currently approaching a key supply zone in the 24,300 – 24,400 range, and a sustained move above this band could trigger further upside towards the 24,800 – 25,000 levels. On the downside, the 24,000 level is expected to act as an important psychological and technical support, with a stronger base placed near the 23,800 zone. Holding above these levels will be crucial to maintain the current bullish momentum,said Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money.

From a momentum perspective, the RSI is gradually improving and is currently positioned in the mid-50s, indicating strengthening price action. Overall, the outlook has turned positive, and sustained follow-through buying could support further upside in the near term, he added.

RailTel share price surged by more than 11% on Wednesday, April 15, following the receipt of three orders totaling ₹608.51 crore.

RailTel Coporation has obtained two Letters of Acceptance (LoA) from RVNL for the Supply, Installation, Testing, and Commissioning (SITC) of Integrated Tunnel Communication Systems, with an overall order value of ₹564.54 crore.

Furthermore, RailTel has secured a work order worth ₹43.96 crore from the Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment and Promotion Board to offer security-related ancillary services during recruitment exams.

Gold and silver prices in India traded mixed amid steady international bullion prices as investors awaited further developments over the US-Iran peace talks.

MCX gold rate for June contracts was trading lower by ₹318, or 0.21%, at ₹1,54,499 per 10 grams. MCX silver price for May contracts was higher by ₹694, or 0.27%, at ₹2,53,444 per kg.

Nifty IT index jumped nearly 3%. OFSS, Persistent Systems, LTIMindtree, Infosys and TCS were the top index gainers.

Nifty 50 traded 1.5% higher above 24,200 level. 47 Nifty 50 constituents were trading higher, with Hindalco Industries, InterGlobe Aviation, Shriram Finance, Infosys and TCS leading the gains.

Sensex jumped over 1,200 points to above 78,000 level, with all of its constituents trading in the green. InterGlobe Aviation, Infosys, HCL Technologies, Bajaj Finance and Ultratech Cement were the top index gainers.

All the sectoral indices were trading in the green, with the Nifty IT, Nifty Metals, Nifty PSU Bank, Nifty Media and Nifty Realty indices rallying more than 2% each.

Broader markets outperformed the frontline indices. The Nifty Smallcap 100 index and the Nifty Midcap 100 index were up over 2% each.

The Indian stock market opened with strong gains on Wednesday, following a rally in global markets, amid optimism over the resumption of US-Iran peace talks.

The Sensex jumped 1,133.53 points, or 1.48%, to open at 77,981.10, while the Nifty 50 opened 321.15 points, or 1.35%, higher at 24,163.80.

Gold and silver prices were largely steady, hovering around a one-week high hit earlier in the session, as investors stayed on the sidelines awaiting further clarity on US-Iran peace talks.

Spot gold price held steady at 4,841.76 per ounce, after hitting its highest level since April 8 earlier in the session. US gold futures for June delivery rose 0.3% to $4,866.50 an ounce. Spot silver price rose 0.4% to $79.87 per ounce.

Asian markets traded higher on Wednesday, following overnight gains on Wall Street, amid rising hopes of a diplomatic solution to the Middle East conflict.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 1.5% to the highest level in six weeks. Japan’s Nikkei also rallied 1.2% to 58,561, closing in on the record high of 59,332.43 from late February. The broader Topix rose 0.7% to 3,781.25.

Chinese blue-chips rose 0.5%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index gained 1.2%. South Korea’s Kospi surged 3.02%, and the Kosdaq gained 1.65%.

The trends on Gift Nifty also signals a gap-up start for the benchmark indices, Nifty 50 and Sensex today. The Gift Nifty was trading around 24,207 level, a premium of nearly 348 points from the Nifty futures’ previous close.

The Indian stock market benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, are expected to open higher on Wednesday, following a rally in global markets, on optimism over the resumption of US-Iran peace talks.Saloni Goel has over nine years of experience as a business journalist, with a strong track record of covering the financial markets. Over the course of her career, she has reported extensively on global and domestic equities, IPO market activity, commodities, and broader macroeconomic trends. Her reporting reflects a keen eye for detail, data-driven analysis, and the ability to spot emerging themes early.

At Mint, Saloni has been part of the markets team for nearly two years, where she currently works as Chief Content Producer. In this role, she plays a key part in shaping market coverage, driving editorial strategy, and ensuring timely, accurate, and insightful reporting across. She has been closely involved in breaking news coverage and in crafting stories that help decode the complex financial developments.

Before joining Mint, Saloni worked with some of India’s leading business newsrooms, including The Economic Times and Business Standard. Throughout her career, she has worn multiple hats—ranging from reporting and editing to contributing in-depth features and identifying new storytelling formats and market trends.

Her experience in fast-paced digital newsrooms has given her an edge in simplifying complex market concepts without losing analytical depth. Outside of work, Saloni enjoys reading books and spending time with her pet.

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