The Indian equity markets, represented by the benchmark Sensex and Nifty indices, concluded Tuesday, August 12, 2025, on a negative note. After a significant rally in the previous session, major indices gave up a portion of their gains, driven by profit-booking and cautious investor sentiment ahead of key domestic and international inflation data. This daily wrap-up provides a comprehensive overview of the market's movements, key influencing factors, and what investors should consider for the days ahead.
Table of Contents
- Nifty and Sensex Today – Key Market Indices Performance
- Sector-wise Performance
- Top Stock Market News of the Day – What Moved the Markets
- FII and DII Activity Today – Where Big Money Moved
- IPOs, Listings and Market Buzz – Latest Stock Market Trends
- Top Gainers and Losers – Best and Worst Performing Stocks
- Economic and Global Factors – What Else Affected Markets Today
- What to Watch Tomorrow – Key Events and Predictions
- Final Takeaway – Summary of Stock Market Day
The Indian equity benchmarks experienced a notable decline on August 12, 2025.
The BSE Sensex settled at 80,235.59, marking a fall of -368.49, or 0.46%.
The NSE Nifty 50 closed with a loss of -97.65 points, or 0.40%, ending the day at 24,487.40.
The day was characterised by volatility as indices erased about half of Monday's gains. The broader market indices showed a mixed picture, with the Nifty Midcap 100 index closing 0.27 per cent lower, while the Smallcap index settled 0.04 per cent higher, showing some relative resilience.
The sectoral performance on August 12, 2025, was a mixed bag, reflecting the cautious sentiment in the broader market. While some sectors showed resilience and closed in the green, others faced significant selling pressure.
Outperforming Sectors
- NIFTY AUTO: The auto index was one of the day's top performers, rising by 0.56% to close at 23,856.60. This was driven by strong gains in key components like Maruti Suzuki, Tech Mahindra, and M&M, which provided crucial support to the market.
- NIFTY IT: The IT sector also held its ground, ending the day with a gain of 0.38%, reaching 34,674.30. The sector's resilience suggests that investors are finding safe haven in IT stocks amid the overall volatility.
- NIFTY PHARMA: The pharma index closed with a gain of 0.69% at 21,753.50, indicating a positive sentiment towards the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry.
- NIFTY MEDIA: The media sector saw a positive trend, closing up by 0.60% at 1,647.55.
- NIFTY METAL: The metal index also ended the day in the green, rising by 0.38% to 9,229.70.
- NIFTY OIL & GAS: The oil and gas sector showed a modest gain, closing up by 0.40% at 11,103.85.
- NIFTY HEALTHCARE INDEX: The healthcare index also had a positive day, rising by 0.59% to 14,385.00.
Underperforming Sectors
- NIFTY FINANCIAL SERVICES: This was the biggest drag on the market, declining by 0.90% to close at 28,106.20. This was primarily due to heavy profit-booking in major banking and financial stocks.
- NIFTY FMCG: The FMCG sector was also a significant laggard, dropping by 0.50% to end at 55,034.45. The decline was led by key stocks like HUL and Nestle, which faced selling pressure.
- NIFTY REALTY: The realty index closed lower by 0.73% at 883.90, reflecting a cautious mood among investors in the real estate space.
- NIFTY PSU BANK: The public sector banking index saw a marginal decline of 0.08%, closing at 7,026.90.
- NIFTY PRIVATE BANK: The private banking sector also faced selling pressure, with the index falling by 0.81% to 26,560.95.
- NIFTY CONSUMER DURABLES: This sector was also among the losers, declining by 0.65% to end at 37,034.70.
Several key factors contributed to the market's negative sentiment on August 12, 2025. The primary reason for the decline was profit-booking, particularly in the financial sector, as investors grew cautious ahead of crucial inflation data releases.
Domestically, the focus was on India's July CPI inflation data, with a Reuters poll suggesting a potential drop to a new eight-year low of 1.76 per cent. This could influence the RBI's future monetary policy.
On the global front, investors were also awaiting the release of the US CPI data, which could provide clues on the Federal Reserve's stance on interest rates. The extension of the US-China tariff truce by President Donald Trump for another 90 days brought some relief to global trade concerns, but overall market sentiment remained cautious.
The institutional flows for August 12, 2025, showed a continuation of the recent trend, with FIIs and DIIs having contrasting activities.
Foreign Institutional Investor (FII) Activity:
- FIIs were net buyers in the cash market, with their net activity recorded at ₹1,932.81 crore.
Domestic Institutional Investor (DII) Flows:
- DIIs continued to provide strong support to the market, being net buyers of equities worth ₹7,723.66 crore.
This divergence in activity highlights the ongoing strength of domestic liquidity in stabilising the Indian markets against potential FII outflows.
The primary market remained a bright spot, with strong listing performance and a busy pipeline of IPOs.
Key IPOs and Listings:
- Highway Infrastructure shares listed at a premium of 67.1% on the BSE, marking the highest listing gains of 2025 so far.
- Several IPOs, including ANB Metal Cast, Medistep Healthcare, and Star Imaging & Path Lab, had their issue periods close today.
- Mainboard IPOs such as BlueStone Jewellery and Lifestyle and Icodex Publishing Solutions are also currently open for subscription, with their allotment dates scheduled for later this week.
On August 12, 2025, the market's downturn led to significant selling pressure on some stocks, while a few managed to defy the trend.
Top Gainers on August 12, 2025
Despite a broad market decline, several stocks showed strong positive momentum, closing with significant gains. Here is a breakdown of the top gainers:
Maruti Suzuki
- Closing Price: ₹12,847.00
- Change: +₹250.00 (+1.98%)
- Analysis: Maruti Suzuki emerged as a key performer, with its stock showing strong upward momentum. The positive performance was a major driver for the resilience of the auto sector on a day when many other sectors faced selling pressure.
Tech Mahindra
- Closing Price: ₹1,511.20
- Change: +₹30.10 (+2.03%)
- Analysis: Tech Mahindra was the top gainer in the Nifty 50, closing with a significant rise. This reflects a positive sentiment towards the IT sector, with investors potentially shifting focus to defensive plays amidst market volatility.
Hero Motocorp
- Closing Price: ₹4,644.00
- Change: +₹81.80 (+1.79%)
- Analysis: Hero Motocorp posted a solid gain, contributing to the overall positive performance of the auto sector. The stock's rise indicates investor confidence in the company and its market position.
M&M (Mahindra & Mahindra)
- Closing Price: ₹3,236.00
- Change: +₹49.80 (+1.56%)
- Analysis: M&M's strong performance further underscored the strength of the auto industry. The stock's resilience in a declining market suggests positive sentiment and strong fundamentals.
NTPC
- Closing Price: ₹340.15
- Change: +₹4.00 (+1.19%)
- Analysis: NTPC closed with a modest gain, demonstrating stability in the power sector. The positive movement suggests robust investor confidence, likely driven by a favourable outlook for the company's long-term growth.
Top Losers on August 12, 2025
The market's negative sentiment on August 12, 2025, led to significant selling pressure on several stocks, particularly in the financial and consumer goods sectors. Here is a breakdown of the top losers:
Bajaj Finance
- Closing Price: ₹853.00
- Change: -₹24.80 (-2.83%)
- Analysis: Bajaj Finance was a major laggard, significantly contributing to the decline in the financial services sector. The stock's sharp fall suggests that investors were engaged in profit-booking after a recent rally and were growing cautious ahead of new economic data.
Trent
- Closing Price: ₹5,365.50
- Change: -₹78.00 (-1.43%)
- Analysis: Trent experienced a notable decline, indicating selling pressure in the retail and consumer sector. This performance, along with other consumer stocks, highlights a cautious mood among investors regarding consumption patterns.
HUL (Hindustan Unilever)
- Closing Price: ₹2,483.80
- Change: -₹34.60 (-1.37%)
- Analysis: The heavyweight FMCG stock, HUL, was a key drag on the indices. Its decline reflects broader weakness in the consumer goods space, as investors may be concerned about rising input costs or potential shifts in consumer spending.
HDFC Bank
- Closing Price: ₹1,969.90
- Change: -₹25.70 (-1.29%)
- Analysis: HDFC Bank, another banking heavyweight, faced significant selling pressure. The drop contributed to the overall underperformance of the banking sector, as investors took a cautious stance ahead of inflation data and potential shifts in monetary policy.
Nestle
- Closing Price: ₹1,091.10
- Change: -₹13.90 (-1.26%)
- Analysis: Nestle's stock also closed in the red, aligning with the negative trend in the consumer goods sector. The decline suggests that the broader market concerns about inflation and consumer spending are impacting even well-established companies with strong brand equity.
The Indian stock market on August 12, 2025, was influenced by a mix of domestic and global economic factors.
- Inflation Data: Investors were awaiting the release of July CPI inflation data for both India and the US, which could impact future monetary policy decisions. A Reuters poll suggested India's retail inflation may have dropped to a new low.
- Global Geopolitical Factors: The extension of the US-China tariff truce provided some relief, but the market remained volatile in response to ongoing global trade and geopolitical uncertainties.
- Rupee and Crude Oil: The Indian rupee traded flat against the US dollar, while firm crude oil prices added some pressure.
As the market looks ahead, several factors will be in focus for the next trading session.
- Upcoming Economic Data: The actual release of India's and the US's July inflation data will be the most significant event to watch.
- Corporate Earnings: The remaining Q1 FY26 corporate earnings reports will continue to drive stock-specific movements.
- Global Cues: The market will also be monitoring any new developments from the planned US-Russia diplomatic talks, which could impact global risk sentiment.
The Indian stock market concluded Tuesday, August 12, 2025, with benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty retreating from yesterday's highs. The session was dominated by profit-booking, particularly in the financial and FMCG sectors, as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of the release of key inflation data from both India and the US.
The market's resilience, however, was underscored by continued strong buying from Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) and the solid performance of sectors like Auto and IT. This dynamic suggests that while global cues and data releases may drive short-term volatility, a strong domestic foundation remains a defining characteristic of the Indian market.