Closing Bell: Market Kicks Off 2025 On A Positive Note; Sensex & Nifty End With Gains, Auto Stocks Lead

The Indian stock market made a strong start to the new year 2025, with the benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, rising about half a percent each, driven by gains in heavyweights such as HDFC Bank, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), and Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M). The Sensex closed 368 points, or 0.47%, higher at 78,507.41, while the Nifty 50 gained 98 points, or 0.41%, to settle at 23,742.90.

The Sensex opened at 78,265.07 against the previous close of 78,139.01 and reached an intraday high of 78,756.49, a gain of 617 points. It ultimately ended 368 points higher. The Nifty 50 opened at 23,637.65 and briefly hit an intraday high of 23,822.80 before closing at 23,742.90. During the session, the Nifty's low was 23,562.80.

HDFC Bank, L&T, Reliance Industries, and M&M were among the biggest contributors to the Nifty's upward movement. Maruti Suzuki also saw notable gains following healthy sales data updates. The auto sector, particularly, rallied as Maruti and M&M stocks surged.

Except for the realty and metal sectors, most sectoral indices ended in the green. The auto sector led the rally, with capital goods and power sectors rising by over 1%. The Nifty Bank index, boosted by strong performances from HDFC Bank and other lenders, surged by 200 points, closing at 51,061. The BSE Midcap index gained 0.44%, closing at 57,451.

MOIL, a state-owned miner, surged nearly 5% after it announced a price hike for all ferro grades of Manganese Ore, effective from January 1. This news brought positive momentum to the stock. On the other hand, shares of Paytm fell 3% as the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) delayed implementing a 30% cap on UPI market share.

SJVN, a public sector undertaking, saw a 6% jump after announcing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Bihar government for a Rs 5,663 crore pumped storage project. Meanwhile, IREDA gained 3%, benefiting from a strong quarter 3 update on loans sanctioned and disbursements.

Power Mech rose 5% after securing a Rs 294 crore order from Adani Power. Similarly, Dynacons saw a 3% rise following the announcement of a Rs 280 crore data centre project with Canara Bank. NCC also rose by 2% as it bagged orders worth Rs 349.7 crore in December 2024 for its building division.

IndoStar Capital gained nearly 2% after announcing the sale of parts of its commercial vehicle loan book worth Rs 174 crore to an asset reconstruction company (ARC). Meanwhile, Easy Trip Planners ended in the red after CEO Nishant Pitti resigned.

State Bank of India (SBI) was a standout performer in 2024, with its shares rising 24%, significantly outperforming the Bank Nifty index, which rose only 4%.

The Indian stock market closed on a positive note, reflecting a strong start to the new year. Investor optimism was driven by solid performance in key sectors like banking, auto, and capital goods, and stocks like HDFC Bank, L&T, and M&M played a significant role in propelling the indices higher.