Market Close Highlights: Sensex Gains 182 Points, Nifty Tops 24,650 as IT, Metal Stocks Rally; Cooling CPI Boosts Sentiment

Domestic equity markets closed higher on Tuesday, supported by strong buying in metal and IT stocks, alongside a favorable macroeconomic cue in the form of cooling consumer inflation.

Key Highlights:

• Sensex surged 182 points to settle at 81,292, while the Nifty 50 ended above the 24,650 mark, gaining 56 points to close at 24,659.
• The gains came on the back of a drop in India’s retail inflation, which eased to 4.83% in April, down from 4.85% in March. This improved investor sentiment and supported hopes of a continued pause—or even a rate cut—by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in upcoming policy meetings.
• IT and metal sectors led the rally. The Nifty IT index rose over 1%, while metal stocks gained amid strong global cues.
• Tata Steel, Infosys, HCLTech, and Tech Mahindra were among the top gainers on the Nifty.
• On the flip side, select FMCG and banking stocks came under pressure, with HUL, Nestle, and Kotak Mahindra Bank slipping in trade.

Sectoral and Broader Market Performance:

• Apart from IT and metals, auto and realty sectors also posted moderate gains.
• The BSE MidCap and SmallCap indices ended with marginal gains, reflecting cautious optimism in the broader market.
• Volatility remained subdued as the India VIX—a gauge of market fear—dipped nearly 2%.

Global Market Influence:

Positive cues from global markets, including a rally in Asian equities and stable European openings, added to the bullish mood on Dalal Street. Investors also tracked U.S. inflation data and Fed commentary, which are expected to guide the next phase of global monetary policy.

Outlook:

Analysts suggest that the easing inflation trend, along with strong corporate earnings and sustained foreign inflows, could help Indian markets maintain momentum in the near term. However, volatility may rise ahead of the upcoming U.S. Fed minutes and key domestic macro data releases.