Stock Market Today Highlights: Sensex pares gains but ends 1,187 pts higher, Nifty up 1.5% as Brent falls below $100/bbl

"Markets staged a rebound on Tuesday, marking a strong start to the new financial year. The Nifty 50 opened gap-up above the 22,600 mark, tracking positive global cues; however, selling pressure in the latter half of the session trimmed gains, with the index eventually settling at 22,679.40, up 1.56%.

Sectorally, metals, banking, and IT stocks led the recovery, while pharma witnessed relatively subdued participation. Broader markets outperformed, with midcap and smallcap indices advancing 2.5–3%, reflecting a strong risk-on sentiment.

The recovery was primarily driven by optimism around potential geopolitical de-escalation, which improved global risk appetite. A decline in crude oil prices and bond yields further supported sentiment, particularly for emerging markets like India. Additionally, attractive valuations following the sharp correction in March, along with supportive global cues, triggered broad-based buying. The beginning of the new financial year also contributed to increased market activity.

From a technical perspective, the Nifty has witnessed a relief rally after a steep ~11% decline in March; however, sustainability remains critical. Immediate resistance is placed in the 23,000–23,200 zone, with a key hurdle at 23,500, while support is seen in the 22,300–22,000 range. Participants should closely monitor crude oil prices and the rupee for cues on the next directional move. From a trading standpoint, maintaining balanced exposure on both sides and preferring spread strategies over naked positions is advisable as a prudent risk management approach until the market stabilizes."

Indian equity indices started the month of April on a strong note with Nifty ending above 22,650, supported by optimism around a potential de-escalation in US–Iran tensions. At close, Sensex gained 1,186.77 points (1.65%) to settle at 73,134.32, while Nifty advanced 348 points (1.56%) to 22,679.40. Broader markets outperformed, with the Nifty Midcap index rising 2.2% and the Small cap index climbing 3.4%.

Sectorally, the rally was broad-based with all indices ending in the green except pharma, which declined 1%. Defence led the gains with a surge of over 5%, followed by capital goods, media and PSU banks, each up around 3%. Auto, consumer durables, IT, metals, realty, FMCG, telecom and private banks posted gains in the range of 1–2%.

Nifty Outlook

The index formed a bearish candle with a higher high and a higher low highlighting pullback from oversold territory. The index however failed to sustain at higher levels and gave up some of its opening gains to close the session around 22,700 levels. Volatility is likely to remain elevated in the near term, amid rising geopolitical tensions and higher crude oil prices, which continue to weigh on overall market sentiment.

Nifty after recent sharp decline has approached extreme oversold territory in the short-term chart so pullback cannot be ruled out. A move above Wednesday high (22941) will open further upside towards 23,200 levels. However, for any meaningful pause in the current downtrend, the index needs to start forming higher highs and higher lows on the daily chart on a sustained basis along with a close above the previous week’s high of 23,465. Key support is placed in the 22,100–21,800 zone being the trendline support joining last 2-year lows and the 200 weeks EMA.

Vinit Bolinjkar, Head of Equity Research at Venchura believes the positive signals from the US-Iran front are removing a major overhang of geopolitical risk and potential crude oil volatility, which is rightly cheering the market.

“If this translates into a sustained rally, we expect leadership to come from a mix of direct crude-beneficiaries and traditional high-growth sectors. We are looking closely at Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) like BPCL and HPCL, as well as derivative consumers like Asian Paints and InterGlobe Aviation, which benefit immediately from softer oil prices. Furthermore, any broader, sustained market rally in India typically requires the participation of the Banking and Auto sectors. In this space, large-cap leaders like ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, and Mahindra & Mahindra look incredibly well-positioned to lead the charge,” he said.

Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments, said:

"Indian equity markets opened FY27 on a strong note, driven by improving risk appetite following US President Donald Trump's remarks hinting at a potential resolution to the West Asia conflict. Broad-based buying lifted benchmark indices, with mid- and small-cap stocks outperforming large caps, aided further by a stabilising rupee and softening crude oil prices. Sectoral rotation from defensives toward cyclicals was evident, with banking, chemicals, metals, and realty emerging as the key outperformers of the session.

Nevertheless, elevated bond yields and intraday volatility capped gains, keeping the overall advance measured rather than emphatic. Despite the constructive tone, markets may remain sensitive to sudden reversals in the evolving geopolitical landscape going forward."

Nifty Midcap 100 rose over 2% while Nifty Smallcap 100 advanced over 3% in today's deals.

The Indian stock market advanced sharply on Wednesday, April 1, tracking a strong rally in global equities as hopes grew that the US-Iran war in the Middle East may be nearing an end. Sentiment improved after US President Donald Trump said the conflict could conclude within three weeks, while Iran’s president said Tehran had “the necessary will” to resolve the crisis. The comments lifted investor confidence across regional markets, even as the U.S. dollar remained under pressure and Treasury prices continued to rise.

The Sensex ended 1187 points or 1.65% to 73,132 while Nifty 50 rose 348 points or 1.56% to settle at 22,679.

Shares of oil marketing companies (OMCs) surged up to 4% on Wednesday after crude oil prices slipped below the key $100 per barrel mark, boosting sentiment amid growing hopes that the ongoing conflict between Iran and the US could ease soon following remarks from leaders of both countries.

Brent crude futures fell around 5% to $99.06 per barrel as of 12:48 pm IST, while WTI crude declined more than 4% to trade near $97 per barrel.

Meanwhile, the price of premium petrol XP100 was increased by ₹11 per litre, taking it up from ₹149 to ₹160, while aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices have crossed ₹2 lakh per kilolitre.

Shares of electric two-wheeler maker Ola Electric Mobility jumped 14.21% in Wednesday’s intraday session on April 1, hitting a day’s high of ₹26.04 apiece, as investors appeared encouraged by the company’s March performance. The surge also marked the stock’s biggest single-day gain in seven months.

In a regulatory filing, the company announced a strong comeback in business performance, with registrations surging 150% year-on-year to 10,117 units during the month (as per VAHAN data). In comparison, Ola’s registrations stood at 3,973 units in February, signalling a sharp resurgence in demand momentum. read more

Shares of Avenue Supermarts, the company that operates supermarket chain DMart, surged more than 8% on Wednesday after the retailer said its total store count had reached 500, following the addition of 12 new stores on Tuesday.

In a regulatory filing, DMart said it launched new stores across multiple locations, including three in Maharashtra — two in Pune and one in Nagpur — two in Tamil Nadu, both in Chennai, and two in Uttar Pradesh, one each in Lucknow and Greater Noida. The company also opened one store in Faridabad, Haryana, two in Gujarat — one each in Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad — and one each in Odisha and Chhattisgarh. With these additions, the company’s total store network expanded to 500 outlets.

The latest expansion came just a day after DMart had opened seven new stores across various locations in Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Chhattisgarh.

PC Jeweller share price rallied as much as 7.13% to ₹8.11 apiece in Wednesday's trading session amid rising gold and silver prices. The jewellery stock opened at ₹7.89 per share today, as compared to the previous close of ₹7.57 on Monday.

MCX gold prices opened higher today at ₹1,51,427 per 10 gm and climbed to an intraday peak of ₹1,51,870, marking a gain of around 0.50% during the session. Meanwhile, MCX silver prices opened 1% lower at ₹2,38,501 per kg today, but trimmed losses during the intraday session, climbing to ₹2,42,498 per kg.

Rising bullion prices benefit jewellery stocks by increasing the value of their existing inventory and allowing them to sell jewellery at higher prices, boosting revenue. They also improve investor sentiment, as markets expect stronger earnings from these companies.

Nifty opened with a gap-up, tracking optimism around potential de-escalation in the West Asia conflict. However, similar statements from U.S. President Donald Trump in the past have triggered only short-lived rallies, as they lacked confirmation from Iranian officials and failed to sustain momentum. From a technical perspective, the market structure continues to remain weak. The index is trading well below its 10-day and 21-day EMAs, placed around 23050 and 23550 respectively. As long as prices remain below the 21-day EMA, overall sentiment is likely to stay fragile. A decisive close above the 23550–23600 resistance zone is essential to revive bullish sentiment. On the downside, immediate support is placed at 22280.

— Vishnu Kant Upadhyay – AVP, Research – Master Capital Services

Provigil Surveillance Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Magellanic Cloud Limited, has received a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from South Central Railway, Vijayawada Division (Indian Railways).

The LOA relates to execution of S&T arrangements for provision of CCTV cameras at goods sheds across multiple railway stations under the Vijayawada Division.

The total contract value is approximately ₹7.88 crore. Following this update, the small-cap stock hit the 5% upper price band.

Tata Motors delivered strong sales with 1,32,465 units in Q4 FY26, recording a 25% YoY growth. The Tata group stock was trading higher by 3% around 1.55 pm.

Sensex came off day's high and was last trading around 1300 points higher.

The Strait of Hormuz will not open, we have not held any negotiations, and we will not hold them, says Iran, according to media reports.

The positive signals from the US-Iran front are removing a major overhang of geopolitical risk and potential crude oil volatility, which is rightly cheering the market. If this translates into a sustained rally, we expect leadership to come from a mix of direct crude-beneficiaries and traditional high-growth sectors.

We are looking closely at Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) like BPCL and HPCL, as well as derivative consumers like Asian Paints and InterGlobe Aviation, which benefit immediately from softer oil prices. Furthermore, any broader, sustained market rally in India typically requires the participation of the Banking and Auto sectors. In this space, large-cap leaders like ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, and Mahindra & Mahindra look incredibly well-positioned to lead the charge.

— Vinit Bolinjkar, Head of Equity Research at Ventura

India VIX eases 11.88% to 24.57, according to data from NSE, signalling decreased investor fear, lower market volatility expectations.

Avenue Supermarts, the parent company of supermarket chain DMart, rallied more than 8% after the firm announced that its store count now stands at 500 following 12 new additions.

Large caps: HDFC Bank, Larsen & Toubro, Maruti Suzuki, Axis Bank, Titan, Eternal, Eicher Motors, LTIMindtree, Apollo Hospitals and Polycab

Mid caps: United Spirits, GMR Airports, UNO Minda, IDFC First Bank, and Godrej Properties

Small caps: Gland Pharma, Gabriel India, BEML, Ujjivan Small Finance Bank, and Safari Industries

Capital market stocks kicked off the new financial year on a bullish note, recording gains of up to 8% on Wednesday, April 1, as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) deferred its circular on capital market exposures of banks for a period of three months.

Against this backdrop, shares of Motilal Oswal Financial Services (MOSL) emerged as among the top gainers, rallying 8.5%. Angel One and BSE shares gained 7% each on the National Stock Exchange (NSE). Groww, CAMS, and Nippon Life India AMC, HDFC AMC and Anand Rathi Wealth were higher between 3-6%.

The gains were accentuated by a positive setup in the Indian stock market following de-escalation hopes in the US-Iran war, which is in its fifth week. At the time of writing this report, the NSE Nifty was higher by 2.13% at the 22,800 level. Read more

Oil dropped after President Donald Trump again signaled the potential end to the Iran war that’s roiled markets, even as the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed and more US troops arrived in the region.

Brent crude fell to trade near $102 a barrel after rising as much as 1.9% earlier, while West Texas Intermediate was around $100. Trump told reporters that the US could leave Iran within two to three weeks, and indicated an agreement with Tehran may be reached but wasn’t necessary for the war to end.

Trump has regularly vacillated between saying an Iran deal is imminent and warning he’s prepared to ramp up military operations. The president will give an address to the nation at 9 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday to provide an update on Iran, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. (Bloomberg)

Shares of InterGlobe Aviation, the parent of India’s largest airline, IndiGo, rose sharply on Wednesday after the company announced the appointment of William Walsh as its new chief executive officer (CEO).

The stock climbed 10% to ₹4332 per share on BSE, as investors cheered the airline’s decision to bring in a globally experienced aviation executive at a time when the carrier is navigating both operational and cost pressures.

Walsh is currently serving as the Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), where his term is set to end on July 31. He is expected to join IndiGo by August 3 this year. Read more

National Stock Exchange (NSE) on Wednesday, April 1, announced a collaboration with Indian Gas Exchange (IGX) to introduce exchange-traded derivatives based on natural gas traded and delivered on the IGX platform.

As part of this collaboration, NSE will launch Indian natural gas derivative contracts based on IGX’s benchmark Price Index GIXI (Gas IndeX of India). The contracts will be designed to reflect domestic gas market dynamics, with pricing linked to actual trades on the IGX platform, the exchange said in a press release.

NSE said it has received approval from the capital markets regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), to launch the Indian Natural Gas Futures. The launch dates for the same will be communicated at a later date. Read more

Ahead of listing on March 30, the grey market premium (GMP) for Powerica IPO showed muted price. It is currently at ₹7 on April 1. The current GMP signals that the IPO listing price is likely to be ₹402, up 1.77% from the issue price of ₹395.

The Nifty 50 breached a crucial resistance in the 22,700–22,800 zone and reclaimed the 22,900 mark during the session.

According to Hitesh Tailor, a research analyst at Choice Equity Broking, immediate support for the Nifty is seen in the 22,150–22,200 range, while resistance is placed at 22,700–22,800. The RSI stands at 32.01, indicating near-oversold conditions.

According to Anand James, Chief Market Strategist, Geojit Investments, a break of 22,770 can lead the Nifty 50 to 23,040-23,600.

"Fresh long positions should preferably be initiated only after the Nifty convincingly breaks above and sustains the 24,000 level, which would indicate improved sentiment and the likelihood of a more durable bullish trend," said Tailor.

The Nifty 50 crashed 11.3% in March, extending losses to the fourth consecutive month. The sharp decline in the index has brought valuations near the long-term average, offering many blue-chip stocks at an attractive price. With market sentiment improvement amid positive signals on the front of the West Asian conflict, investors appear to be engaged in value buying to reap the benefits of a potential market uptrend ahead.

The US dollar index fell below 100, while the US 10-year bond yield eased further to 4.293%. A decline in the dollar and bond yields is positive for emerging markets like India as it improves the prospects of foreign capital inflows.

Investors earned ₹13 lakh crore as the overall market capitalisation of BSE-listed firms rose to ₹425 lakh crore from ₹412 lakh crore in the previous session.

Silver prices in India fell on Wednesday, April 1, on profit booking, even as gold prices extended their winning streak for a third straight session as hopes of a possible end to the Middle East conflict improved investor sentiment. A softer US dollar also supported the precious metal. Gold prices also gained in trade today.

Silver price on MCX fell 1% to ₹2,38,501 per kg, while Gold price rose 0.73% to ₹1,51,870 per 10 grams. Read more

Oil rose more than 1% on Wednesday, with Brent futures extending gains after a record monthly rise in March, as Middle East volatility kept markets jittery despite reports that the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran may be nearing an end.

The front-month Brent contract for June climbed $1.40, or 1.4%, to $105.37 per barrel at 0430 GMT. Brent logged a record monthly gain of 64% in March, according to LSEG data that dates back to June 1988.

Meanwhile, U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for May rose $1.59, or 1.6%, to $102.97 per barrel.

Prices recovered some of their losses from Tuesday, when Brent futures for June delivery settled down more than $3 following unconfirmed media reports that Iran's president was ready to end the war. (Reuters)

Devarsh Vakil, Head of Prime Research at HDFC Securities, said:

"Washington is signalling that military operations could wrap up within two to three weeks, with President Trump suggesting the United States may soon begin scaling back its role in the Strait of Hormuz security architecture.

President Trump is scheduled to address the American nation on Iran at 7:30 a.m. IST on Thursday, April 2. The address is expected to outline the administration's next steps in its Iran strategy and will be closely watched by markets.

Iranian President Pezeshkian has declared that Tehran is prepared to end hostilities with the United States, though it is seeking firm guarantees before doing so.

Iran has also issued a sharp warning that prominent American corporations could face retaliation if Iranian figures continue to be killed.

U.S. stocks posted their best single-day gains since May after reports emerged that the Iranian President signalled willingness to negotiate an end to the conflict, and President Trump indicated the U.S. would be 'leaving' Iran 'very soon.'"

VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments said:

"There are indications of de-escalation of the war from the statements issued by the Iranian authorities. Iranian president’s ‘openness to ending the war’ and confirmation from the Iranian foreign minister that ‘messages were exchanged with the U.S.’ indicate that the war might end soon. This view is getting reflected in declines in crude prices and US bond yields. The market might start discounting de-escalation earlier than the event.

In the March series, the Bank Nifty suffered the worst cut with crash of around 17 %. This segment holds the promise of sharp recovery when the market bounces back. Leading private sector bank has been beaten down on non-fundamental issues. For long-term investors, this presents a buying opportunity.

Many stocks across sectors were marked sharply down on March 30th due to selling triggered by tax harvesting. These stocks are due for a rebound today."

Broader markets outperform benchmark indices, with the Nifty Midcap 100 index rallying 2.9% and the Nifty Smallcap 100 index skyrocketing 3.14%

Indian benchmark indices opened sharply higher on Wednesday, April 1, mirroring gains across global equities as easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East lifted investor confidence. Optimism around a possible end to the ongoing US-Iran conflict helped fuel risk appetite, prompting a broad-based rally in domestic equities at the start of trade.

The upbeat sentiment followed fresh comments from US President Donald Trump, who said the conflict in the Middle East could be resolved within three weeks. Adding to hopes of de-escalation, Iran’s president said Tehran had “the necessary will” to bring the standoff to an end.

Sensex opened 1814.88 points or 2.52% higher at 73,762.43 while Nifty soared 567 points or 2.5% to start the day at 22,899.

Nifty 50 index formed a second consecutive strong bearish candle, marking a lower high and a lower low, which signals continuation of the ongoing downtrend.

“A long bear candle was formed on the daily chart, which is indicating a sharp reversal on the downside after a recent pullback rally of last week. This is not a good sign. The bearish chart pattern like lower tops and bottoms is intact on the daily chart and present weakness could be in line with the new lower bottom formation. But, there is no confirmation of any lower bottom reversal yet at the lows,” said Nagaraj Shetti, Senior Technical Research Analyst at HDFC Securities.

According to him, the underlying trend of Nifty 50 continues to be weak, and having declined below the immediate support of 22,500, Nifty 50 could now slide down to the next support of 22,000 - 21,900 levels in the near term. Immediate resistance is placed at 22,500.

In the derivatives segment, notable call writing activity was seen at the 22,500 strike, with additional buildup at the 22,600 strike. On the put side, strong writing interest was observed at the 22,300 and 22,200 strikes, indicating these levels may serve as near-term support, said Hitesh Tailor, Research Analyst - Research at Choice Equity Broking.

Japanese government bond yields fell on Wednesday, as optimism for de-escalation of the Middle East conflict eased concerns over inflation. The 10-year JGB yield fell 2.5 basis points to 2.330%, starting the new fiscal year on a positive note after the benchmark yield hit a nearly three-decade high last week.

The two-year JGB yield fell 1 bp to 1.365% and the five-year yield fell 2 bps to 1.760%. Bond prices move inversely to yields. U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States could end its military attacks on Iran within two to three weeks, and Tehran did not have to make a deal as a prerequisite for the conflict to wind down.

The bonds were sold heavily last week, sending the five-year bond yield to a record high, as rising oil prices fanned fears of inflation and the Bank of Japan's early interest hike. Investors adjusted positions at the end of the fiscal year, which also drove the heavy selloff, strategists said. (Reuters)

Sensex broke a key support line at 72,500 on Monday and closed at 71,947.

“Based on the current market structure, 72,500 could pose a significant hurdle for Sensex in the short term. Below these levels, the index could soon decline to 71,300 - 71,000. A close below 71,000 would raise further concerns. However, given the current pattern of sudden price declines in a short period of time, medium- to long-term investors may be tempted to invest in certain stocks,” said Shrikant Chouhan, Head Equity Research, Kotak Securities.

Above 72,500, we may see some short covering, which could take Sensex towards 73,100 levels. The strategy should be to buy certain stocks between 71,300 - 71,000, he added.

The dollar was largely steady, with gains from safe-haven demand fading. The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies including the yen and the euro, fell 0.03% to 99.70. The euro rose 0.21% to $1.1576 and Sterling strengthened 0.21% to $1.3247. The Japanese yen gained 0.11% against the greenback to 158.55 per dollar.

Crude oil prices rose, with Brent front-month futures extending a record March rally as US-Iran war volatility kept markets jittery. Brent crude oil price gained 0.54% to $104.51 a barrel, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rallied 0.88% to $102.25.

Japan’s factory activity expanded at a slower pace in March. The final S&P Global Japan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 51.6 in March from a 45-month high of 53.0 in February, but slightly overshot the flash figure of 51.4.

US President Donald Trump said that American military operations against Iran could stop within two to three weeks, adding that Iran does not need to reach any agreement for the conflict to wind down.

Earlier, Iranian leader Masoud Pezeshkian told the head of the European Council the country had "the necessary will to end this conflict, provided that essential conditions are met -- especially the guarantees required to prevent repetition of the aggression".

US stock market ended with strong gains on Tuesday amid speculation about a potential de-escalation in the Middle East war.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 2.49% to 46,341.51, while the S&P 500 jumped 2.91% to end at 6,528.52. The Nasdaq closed 3.83% higher at 21,590.63. During the first quarter, the S&P 500 declined 4.6% year-to-date, while the Nasdaq plunged 7.1% and the Dow has fallen 3.6%

Nvidia stock price surged 5.6%, Alphabet shares jumped 5.1%, Meta Platforms share price rallied 6.7%, Microsoft shares gained 3.12%, Apple stock price rose 2.90%, Amazon shares advanced 3.66%, and Tesla stock price added 4.64%.

Asian markets rebounded sharply on Wednesday, April 1, after Donald Trump's remarks fueled optimism that the US-Iran war may end soon. President Trump said on Tuesday that U.S. military forces will leave Iran in two to three weeks, stating that his goal of eliminating the country’s nuclear threat has been achieved.

South Korea’s Kospi jumped nearly 5% in early trade, while the small-cap Kosdaq advanced 4.13%. The rally was supported by robust export data, with March shipments surging 48.3% year-on-year.

Japan's Nikkei 225 climbed 3.51%, while the broader Topix gained 3.17%.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 1.76%, buoyed by strength in education-related stocks. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index futures were last seen at 25,191, above the index’s previous close of 24,788.14.

The trends on Gift Nifty also signals a gap-up start for the benchmark indices, Nifty 50 and Sensex today. Gift Nifty was trading around 22,797 level, a premium of nearly 371 points from the Nifty futures’ previous close.

The Indian stock market is expected to open higher on Wednesday, following a rally in global markets, amid hopes that the US-Iran war in the Middle East can end soon.