The Indian stock market ended Wednesday, 28 May 2025, with benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty slipping into negative territory for the second day in a row. This cautious sentiment among investors was shaped by a mix of domestic developments and global cues. While broader market segments showed some resilience, selling pressure in large-cap stocks highlighted a selective and nuanced market environment.
Nifty and Sensex Today – Key Market Indices Performance
The major Indian indices recorded declines amid profit-booking and sector-specific news:
- Sensex: Closed at 81,312.32, down 239 points or 0.29% from 81,551.32. The intraday range saw the Sensex start at 81,457.61 and dip to a low of 81,244.02.
- Nifty50: Settled at 24,752.45, down 74 points or 0.30% from 24,826.45. The index slipped below the 24,800 mark amid selling pressure in key large-cap names.
Market breadth was mixed, reflecting the divergence between large-caps and broader market segments. On the NSE, 1056 stocks advanced, 1742 declined, and 171 remained unchanged. Within the Nifty 50, 39 stocks closed in the red while only 11 posted gains.
FII and DII Activity
Capital flows from institutional investors on the previous trading day, 27 May 2025, showed mixed trends:
- Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs): Net buyers with a net inflow of ₹348.45 crore (gross purchases: ₹8,765.23 crore; gross sales: ₹8,416.78 crore).
- Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs): Strong net buyers with ₹10,104.66 crore inflow (gross purchases: ₹21,543.89 crore; gross sales: ₹11,439.23 crore).
The robust DII buying likely cushioned the market from sharper declines.
IPOs, Listings and Market Buzz – Latest Stock Market Trends
The primary market saw notable activity:
- Belrise Industries Listing: Debuted on NSE at ₹100, an 11.11% premium over the IPO price of ₹90. On BSE, it listed at ₹99.50.
- Schloss Bangalore (Leela Hotels IPO): Subscription period closed on 28 May after opening on 26 May with a ₹180-₹200 price band. Overall subscription was 1.32 times. Retail Individual Investors (RII) subscribed 0.80 times, Non-Institutional Investors (NII) 1.20 times, and Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIB) 1.50 times.
- Aegis Vopak Terminals IPO: Also closed on 28 May. Overall subscription stood at 1.63 times, with RII at 0.92 times, NII at 2.11 times, and QIB at 1.80 times.
- Scoda Tubes IPO: Opened on 28 May, closes on 30 May 2025, with a price band of ₹175-₹185, targeting ₹65 crore. Day 1 subscription was low at 0.15 times.
Investor interest in IPOs remains selective.
Top Gainers and Losers Today – Best and Worst Performing Stocks
Individual stock performance was mixed across sectors:
Major Index Gainers:
- HDFC Life: Rose 1.51% to close at ₹787.55, peaking intraday at ₹788.80.
- Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL): Up 1.27% to ₹390.30, hitting a new 52-week high during the session
- Bajaj Finance: Increased 1.21%, closing at ₹9,282.00, with an intraday high of ₹9,295.00
- Hero MotoCorp: Gained 0.87%, ending at ₹4,376.00, hitting ₹4,385.00 intraday
- Bharti Airtel: Rose 0.63% to ₹1,855.50, trading as high as ₹1,860.00
- Adani Ports: Climbed 0.69%, closing at ₹1,315.00, with an intraday peak of ₹1,320.00
These gains were supported by positive earnings or company-specific news.
Major Index Losers:
- IndusInd Bank: Fell 1.93%, closing at ₹804.90, hitting an intraday low of ₹803.10
- Apollo Hospitals: Dropped 1.89% to ₹6,940.00, with a low of ₹6,925.00
- UltraTech Cement: Declined 1.82%, closing at ₹11,213.00, hitting ₹11,190.00 intraday
- Hindalco: Lost 1.65%, ending at ₹648.60, touching ₹647.00 during the day
- Nestlé India: Fell 1.62% to ₹2,421.00, with an intraday low of ₹2,415.00
- ITC: Dropped 1.40%, closing at ₹430.00, hitting ₹428.50 intraday
- Bajaj Auto: Declined 1.68%, settling at ₹9,850.00, touching ₹9,830.00 intraday
- Tata Consumer Products: Fell 1.12% to ₹1,145.00, with a low of ₹1,142.00
Profit booking and company-specific negative factors such as ITC’s block deal and ex-dividend status weighed on these stocks.
Economic and Global Factors Today – What Else Affected Markets
Several domestic and international developments influenced market sentiment:
Domestic Economic Factors:
- RBI T-Bill Auction: The Reserve Bank of India announced an auction to raise ₹19,000 crore through Government Treasury Bills of tenures 91 to 364 days. Yield details will be out Thursday.
- RBI Approval for PayPal: PayPal Payments India got in-principle RBI approval to operate as a Payment Aggregator for Cross Border Exports under the 2020 guidelines, boosting e-commerce payment facilitation.
- Inflation Data (April 2025): The Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation eased to 3.16% YoY from 3.34% in March. Food inflation dropped to 1.78% from 2.86%, with declines in vegetables, pulses, fruits, meat, fish, personal care, and cereals.
Global Economic Factors:
- Crude Oil: Prices edged higher on supply concerns. Brent crude rose 0.73% to $64.56/barrel, WTI up 0.8% to $61.38/barrel, following US restrictions on Chevron’s Venezuela exports and ahead of the OPEC+ ministerial meeting.
- US Fed and Global Outlook: Investors awaited Fed meeting minutes from May’s policy session. The World Economic Forum’s report highlighted strong South Asian growth led by India but warned about trade shocks and AI disruptions.
- US Consumer Confidence and Treasury Yields: May’s Consumer Confidence Index came in at 102.3 versus expected 98.5, supporting US equities. However, a rise in 10-year Treasury yields to 4.5% earlier contributed to risk-off sentiment in emerging markets.
What to Watch Tomorrow – Key Events and Predictions
Key domestic and global events to track:
- Domestic: April 2025 IIP data release (29 May), Q1 FY26 GDP figures (30 May
- Corporate Earnings: Bajaj Auto, Engineers India, Ipca Labs, Lemon Tree Hotels, Samvardhana Motherson, and SJVN reporting on 29 May. Apollo Hospitals, Bajaj Holdings & Investment, Nykaa, and PNC Infratech on 30 May
- Global: US Fed minutes reactions, OPEC+ meeting outcome on oil production, ongoing geopolitical developments, and global trade policy shifts
Final Takeaway – Summary of the Trading Day
The Indian market extended its downward trend on 28 May 2025, weighed by profit booking and specific corporate developments such as ITC’s block deal. Large-caps bore the brunt, while mid- and small-caps displayed relative strength, reflecting selective investor interest. Sector-wise, FMCG faced pressure, whereas IT, PSU Banks, and Realty sectors showed resilience.
Significantly lower April inflation rates provide a positive macroeconomic environment, potentially easing RBI’s future policy stance. While positive global cues from US markets helped, rising US Treasury yields and geopolitical uncertainties kept investors cautious.
Looking ahead, upcoming economic data and earnings results will be critical in determining market direction, with potential consolidation or relief rallies likely. Investors should stay informed, perform careful research, and maintain a long-term focus amid short-term volatility.