Share Market Closing Bell: Markets Break 7-Day Streak! BSE Sensex Drops 315 pts, Nifty50 Down 82 Amid India-Pakistan Tensions

Share Market Closing Bell: The Indian stock market experienced a decline on April 24, 2025, after rallying continuously in seven trading sessions, largely driven by escalating geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan.

The BSE Sensex closed at 79,801.43, down by 315.06 points or 0.39% from the previous close of 80,116.49. Similarly, the Nifty 50 index fell by 82.25 points, closing at 24,246.70, down 0.34%.

Top Gainers and Losers and Sectoral Indices

The market showed mixed performance across stocks, with some gaining while others fell. IndusInd Bank (+3.24%), UltraTech Cement (+1.77%), and Tata Motors (+1.26%) were among the gainers, while Hindustan Unilever saw a significant decline of 4%.

Among the sectors, Nifty Pharma (+1.08%) and Nifty Media (+0.14%) were among the few gainers, while Nifty FMCG (-1.06%) and Nifty Realty (-1.41%) posted notable losses.

Market Activity

A total of 2,930 stocks were traded on the day, with 1,404 advancing, 1,441 declining, and 85 remaining unchanged. 13 stocks reached a 52-week high, while 42 hit a 52-week low. Additionally, 117 stocks were in the upper circuit, and 39 stocks were in the lower circuit.

India-Pakistan Tension

Following India's decision to downgrade diplomatic ties with Pakistan, including the expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, and shutting down the Attari land-transit post, market sentiment was significantly impacted. The tensions arose after the horrific Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. This created uncertainty in the regional risk outlook, leading to cautious investor sentiment.

Also Read: All Pakistani Nationals Asked To Leave India In Next 72 Hours - All Visas Cancelled, Travel Banned

Sugandha Sachdeva, Founder of SS WealthStreet, commented on the market's current situation: "Following the sharp seven-session rally, we have seen some decline in domestic equity indices today. It's in line with mixed global cues. Investor sentiment has remained quite cautious amid signs of escalation in geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan, following the Pahalgam terror attack."

"Besides this, we also had monthly expiry, which led to a lot of volatility in the markets. On the macroeconomic front, the World Bank has trimmed India's growth outlook by 0.4 percentage points to 6.3% for the current fiscal year," she added.

Rupee Depreciation and Global Cues

The rupee depreciated by 22 paise to Rs 85.67 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday. This was influenced by negative domestic equities and heightened geopolitical tensions following the terror attack in Pahalgam. The rise in geopolitical uncertainty added to the market's cautious sentiment.

On the global front, the US dollar index surged from its recent low of 97.92 to 99.94, reflecting optimism about potential de-escalation in US-China trade tensions. This resurgence of the US dollar put additional pressure on the rupee, which opened at Rs85.60 and reached an intraday low of Rs85.67.

Crude Oil and FII Activity

Brent crude rose by 0.09%, trading at USD 66.21 per barrel in futures. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) continued to support the market, buying equities worth Rs3,332.93 crore on a net basis on Wednesday.