Nifty Ends Higher with Modest Gains; Metal Stocks Shine as Sectoral Leaders

Market breadth remained strong with 2,183 advancing stocks out of 2,960 on the NSE, while 694 declined and 83 remained flat.

Market Update at 4:15 PM: On May 14, Indian equity benchmarks ended the session with modest gains, aided by softer inflation readings from both the U.S. and India, which fuelled hopes of a rate cut in the near future. However, market movements were not entirely smooth as volatility persisted throughout the trading day.

The BSE Sensex added 0.22 per cent to close at 81,330.56, while the NSE Nifty 50 rose by 0.36 per cent to finish at 24,666.90, giving up part of its early gains. In contrast, the Bank Nifty index declined for the second consecutive session, ending 0.25 per cent lower at 54,801.30.

Metal stocks outperformed across sectors as the Nifty Metal index surged by 2.4 per cent, driven by a weaker U.S. dollar and improving sentiment around U.S.-China trade ties. Tata Steel gained nearly 4 per cent following a strong quarterly performance led by cost efficiencies and higher volumes. SAIL topped the chart with a jump of over 5.7 per cent.

Despite bullish undertones, some investors remain cautious amid speculation of capital reallocation toward China due to its recent tariff deal with the U.S.

Mid-Cap and Small-Cap indices continued their upward momentum, each advancing over 1 per cent, supported by favourable earnings. Bharti Airtel rose 0.75 per cent after reporting solid subscriber additions and better ARPU.

Garden Reach Shipbuilders rallied over 14 per cent following the release of robust Q4FY25 results. Meanwhile, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) posted a 7.77 per cent drop in its consolidated net profit for the March quarter due to delivery delays in its Tejas Mk 1A aircraft. HAL’s Q4 FY24 profit stood at Rs 395.82 crore compared to Rs 429.20 crore last year, though the stock ended higher by 3.43 per cent at Rs 4,768.

Top contributors to the Nifty 50’s gains included Infosys (+23.58 points), Mahindra & Mahindra (+12.44 points), and TCS (+9.45 points). On the flip side, HDFC Bank (-14.25 points), Kotak Bank (-9.22 points), and ICICI Bank (-8.28 points) dragged the index.

Broader markets remained resilient, with the Nifty Mid-cap 100 and Small-cap 100 rising by 1.11 per cent and 1.44 per cent, respectively. A total of 14 out of 17 sectoral indices closed in the green.

Market breadth remained strong with 2,183 advancing stocks out of 2,960 on the NSE, while 694 declined and 83 remained flat. Additionally, 61 stocks hit 52-week highs, 13 touched 52-week lows, 200 stocks hit upper circuits, and 30 were locked in lower circuits.

Market Update at 2:30 PM: The BSE Sensex hovered near the 81,146 mark, showing minimal movement, while the NSE Nifty 50 remained flat at 24,615, giving up its earlier gains. Investor sentiment was weighed down by concerns of foreign capital potentially moving to China, which countered the positive mood driven by easing inflation figures in both the U.S. and India.

Infosys, Tata Steel, and TCS were among the top contributors to the Nifty 50's performance, adding 16.79, 10.64, and 7.68 points respectively. On the other hand, Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Bank, and HDFC Bank acted as major drags, pulling the index down by 7.51, 17.79, and 25.9 points, respectively.

As of 14 May 2025, 2,851 stocks were traded on the NSE, with 2,042 advancing, 728 declining, and 81 remaining unchanged. A total of 56 stocks touched their 52-week high, while 13 hit their 52-week low. Additionally, 177 stocks were locked in the upper circuit and 25 in the lower circuit.

Market Update at 12:30 PM: Indian stock markets moved higher on Wednesday, posting broad-based gains after inflation figures from both the U.S. and India came in lower than expected, boosting hopes for more interest rate cuts.

As of 12:22 a.m. IST, the Nifty 50 index was up 0.4 per cent at 24,677, while the BSE Sensex rose 0.23 per cent to 81,327. Out of 17 key sectoral indices were in positive territory, with metals and IT leading the advance, climbing 2.5 per cent and 1.1 per cent respectively.

April’s U.S. consumer inflation data showed a 0.2 per cent rise, below the forecasted 0.3 per cent, signaling easing price pressures. This supported Indian IT stocks, which depend heavily on revenue from the U.S. market. 

Metal stocks also gained, helped by a weaker dollar and improved sentiment around U.S.-China trade relations. Tata Steel surged 4.7 per cent, topping the metal index on the back of strong Quarterly Results and positive commentary from brokerages citing healthy volume growth and cost control.

Despite the upbeat mood, investors remain watchful of foreign capital flows possibly shifting to China after the U.S. agreed to a temporary reduction in mutual tariffs.

Mid- and small-cap indices each gained around 0.8 per cent, continuing to outperform Large-Cap indices, fuelled by strong earnings from several constituent stocks.

Bharti Airtel shares advanced nearly 2 per cent, driven by better-than-expected quarterly results supported by steady user additions and higher average revenue per user.

Market Update at 10:20 AM: India’s key stock indices began Wednesday’s session on a positive note, supported by easing inflation data from both the U.S. and India for April.

As of 9:17 a.m. IST, the Nifty 50 had risen 0.2 per cent to 24,631, while the BSE Sensex edged up 0.25 per cent to 81,350. Gains were seen across most sectors, with 10 out of 13 advancing. Broader indices also moved higher, with mid-cap and small-cap segments climbing nearly 0.3 per cent each.

Cooling inflation in India raised expectations of potential interest rate cuts by the Reserve Bank of India. Meanwhile, encouraging U.S. inflation numbers and improving U.S.-China trade relations eased concerns about a global slowdown.

Pre-Market Update at 8:00 AM: Indian markets are likely to begin Wednesday's session on a strong note, with early cues from Gift Nifty suggesting a gap-up start. As of 7:30 am, Gift Nifty was trading around the 24,726 level, reflecting an approximate 90-point premium over Tuesday’s close and signalling bullish sentiment at the open.

The upbeat mood is supported by encouraging global trends, a sharp drop in retail inflation, and key corporate earnings lined up for the day. India’s CPI inflation for April cooled to 3.16 per cent—its lowest in over six years—down from 3.34 per cent in March and 4.83 per cent in April 2024, reinforcing expectations of a stable interest rate outlook.

Index provider MSCI has announced adjustments to its indices effective post-market on May 30. Coromandel International and FSN E-Commerce Ventures will be included in the MSCI India Index. On the domestic smallcap front, 12 new entries and 21 exclusions are set to reshape the MSCI India Domestic Smallcap Index.

All eyes will be on quarterly earnings from major companies today including Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL), Tata Power, Eicher Motors, Shree Cements, Lupin, and Muthoot Finance, among others, which may drive stock-specific action.

Tuesday’s sharp market correction came after a strong prior session, with the Sensex slipping 1.55 per cent to end at 81,148.22 and the Nifty 50 dropping 1.39 per cent to settle at 24,578.35.

Across Asia, markets traded mostly higher this morning, taking cues from Wall Street’s mixed yet largely optimistic close, as easing US-China trade tensions improved risk appetite.

In the US, inflation data slightly below expectations helped support equities. While the Dow Jones declined 0.64 per cent, the Nasdaq surged over 1.6 per cent, led by gains in tech stocks. The S&P 500 also closed higher, up 0.72 per cent.

Commodity markets saw gold prices dip slightly, with spot gold down 0.1 per cent amid easing geopolitical tensions. Indian gold futures, however, rose by 0.8 per cent to Rs 93,647. Crude oil prices remained near recent highs, supported by trade optimism and a weaker dollar. Brent crude traded at USD 66.34 per barrel, while WTI was at USD 63.40.

On May 13, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers, selliing Rs 476.86 crore worth of shares. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) bought shares worth Rs 4,273.80 crore during the same period. 

For today, CDSL and Mannapuram Finance continue to remain under the F&O ban list.

Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.