Market trade sideways; broader mrkt outperforms; pharma shares slide

The key equity indices traded sideways in mid-morning trade, as Fed Chair Jerome Powell cautioned that persistent tariff hikes could slow growth and drive long-term inflation. Investor sentiment was also weighed down by rising Indo-Pak tensions. The Nifty traded below the 24,450 mark. Market volatility was heightened due to the weekly expiry of the Nifty F&O series today.

Pharma shares witnessed selling pressure for the third consecutive trading session.

At 11:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, rose 74.78 points or 0.09% to 80,821.56. The Nifty 50 index lost 2.60 points or 0.01% to 24,411.80.

The broader market outperformed the frontline indices. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.41% and the S&P BSE Small-Cap index jumped 1.33%.

The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 2,609 shares rose and 956 shares fell. A total of 158 shares were unchanged.

Buzzing Index:

The Nifty Pharma index slipped 0.53% to 21,349.20. The index fell 1.95% in three consecutive trading sessions.

Cipla (down 1.54%), Torrent Pharmaceuticals (down 1.14%), Dr Reddys Laboratories (down 0.90%), Divis Laboratories (down 0.89%), Alkem Laboratories (down 0.87%), Laurus Labs (down 0.85%), Lupin (down 0.81%), Aurobindo Pharma (down 0.68%), Granules India (down 0.55%) and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (down 0.53%) declined.

On the other hand, Gland Pharma (up 1.78%), Mankind Pharma (up 1.17%) and J B Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals (up 1.04%) edged higher.

Stocks in Spotlight:

Symphony surged 9.15% after the company's consolidated net profit jumped 64.58% to Rs 79 crore on 46.99% increase in revenue from operations to Rs 488 crore in Q4 FY25 over Q4 FY24.

Dabur India slipped 2.18% after the company's consolidated net profit tumbled 8.34% to Rs 312.73 crore in Q4 FY25, compared with Rs 341.22 crore in Q4 FY24. Revenue from operations was at Rs 2,830.14 crore in the fourth quarter of FY25, marginally up 0.55% year on year.

Blue Star lost 1.08%. The company reported consolidated net profit stood at Rs 194 crore in Q4 FY25, recording growth of 21.47%, compared with Rs 159.71 crore posted in Q4 FY24. Revenue from operations increased by 20.77% to Rs 4,018.96 crore for the fourth quarter ended 31 March 2025, as against Rs 3,327.77 crore during the same period the previous year.

Global Markets:

The US Dow Jones index futures were currently up by 223 points, signaling a positive opening for US stocks today.

Most Asian markets advanced on Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve held interest rates steady, maintaining its benchmark overnight rate in the range of 4.25% to 4.5%, where it has remained since December. The move was widely anticipated by market participants.

In a post-meeting press conference, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell cautioned that the existing tariff increases could weigh on economic growth and contribute to higher long-term inflation if they remain in place.

Investors are closely monitoring developments ahead of the upcoming U.S.-China trade talks. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is scheduled to meet his Chinese counterpart in Switzerland later this week to discuss trade and economic issues.

U.S. equities closed higher on Wednesday, supported by gains in semiconductor stocks. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 5,631.27, the NASDAQ Composite gained 0.3% to 17,738.16, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.7% to 41,113.97.

Markets responded to reports suggesting the Trump administration may reverse restrictions imposed during the Biden administration on the export of advanced artificial intelligence chips. These restrictions were originally intended to maintain U.S. leadership in AI technology and limit China's access to such products. A rollback could benefit U.S.-based chipmakers by enabling broader overseas sales.

Shares of Nvidia rose 3.1% on the news, though the stock declined slightly in after-hours trading. U.S.-listed shares of TSMC gained 1.3% and were unchanged after hours. Intel ended the session up 1.9%.

Separately, President Donald Trump announced via social media that he will hold a press conference on Thursday to unveil a 'major trade deal' with representatives of a 'big and highly respected country.' Media reports suggest the country involved is the United Kingdom, which has been engaged in ongoing trade negotiations with the U.S.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News