| Key equity indices edged higher in afternoon trade, following a 0.25% rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve aimed at supporting the labour market. Investor sentiment received a boost from recent GST reforms and progress in India-U.S. trade negotiations. The Nifty traded above the 25,350 mark. Pharma, IT and healthcare shares advanced, while PSU bank, media and oil & gas shares corrected.
At 13:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, rallied 171.44 points or 0.21% to 82,865.15. The Nifty 50 index added 46.60 points or 0.18% to 25,376.20.
In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.03% and the S&P BSE Small-Cap index shed 0.21%.
The market breadth was negative. On the BSE, 1,990 shares rose and 2,050 shares fell. A total of 199 shares were unchanged.
Gainers & Losers:
HDFC Life Insurance Company (up 2.26%), Eternal (up 1.68%), Infosys (up 1.37%), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (up 1.12%) and SBI Life Insurance Company (up 0.76%) were the major Nifty50 gainers.
Coal India (down 2.01%), Bajaj Finance (down 1.21%), Trent (down 1.16%), Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (down 0.91%) and Bharat Electronics (down 0.90%) were the major Nifty50 losers.
Stocks in Spotlight:
B R Goyal Infrastructure rallied 2.94 after the company reported an order book of Rs 1,442.93 crore as of 31st August 2025, reflecting healthy inflows across multiple segments.
Natco Pharma added 2.97% after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has issued an establishment inspection report (EIR) classifying its pharma division facility in Kothur, Hyderabad, as voluntary action indicated (VAI).
Colab Platforms locked in the upper circuit of 2% after the company has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RRP Drones Innovation to collaborate on developing autonomous AI-powered aerial surveillance drones.
Cochin Shipyard gained 0.61%. The company announced that it has secured an order worth Rs 200 crore from Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) for dry dock or major lay-up repairs of jack-up rigs.
Global Markets:
European stocks opened higher on Thursday as investors reacted to the U.S. Federal Reserve’s recent 0.25% rate cut. Market participants also awaited the upcoming policy-setting meeting by the Bank of England for further cues.
Asian market traded mixed after the Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark rate as expected yesterday.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell described the decision as a "risk management cut" rather than something more directed at shoring up a weak economy.
The Fed also indicated two more rate cuts could be made by the year’s end, another in 2026, one more in 2027, and no cuts in 2028.
The Bank of Japan (BoJ) is kick-starting its two-day policy meeting, where it is expected by most economists to keep policy rates steady.
According to reports, the Bank of Japan is likely to leave policy rates unchanged at its upcoming meeting. However, a 25-basis point hike is possible in October, which would take the policy rate to 0.75%.
Meanwhile, China's central bank left a key interest rate unchanged on Thursday, as authorities appear in no rush to ease monetary settings. Resilient exports and a sharp stock market rally have allowed policymakers to withhold fresh stimulus even with a broader economic slowdown, media reports stated.
Overnight in the U.S., markets ended mixed after a choppy session. Although the rate cut had been widely expected, investors appeared uncertain about its broader implications.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average briefly touched a record high before paring gains but still managed to finish 260.42 points higher, or 0.6%, at 46,018.32. In contrast, the S&P 500 slipped 0.1% to close at 6,600.35, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.3% to 22,261.33. |