At 09:25 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, advanced 77.43 points or 0.10% to 74,529.65. The Nifty 50 index added 11.40 points or 0.05% to 22,564.75.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index declined 0.45% and the S&P BSE Small-Cap index fell 0.29%.

The market breadth was negative. On the BSE, 1,334 shares rose and 1,349 shares fell. A total of 146 shares were unchanged.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 6,286.70 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 5,185.65 crore in the Indian equity market on 21 February 2025, provisional data showed.

The stock market will be closed tomorrow, 26th February 2025, on account of Mahashivratri.

Numbers to Track:

The yield on India's 10-year benchmark federal paper advanced 1.57% to 6.813 as compared with the previous close of 6.807.

In the foreign exchange market, the rupee edged lower against the dollar. The partially convertible rupee was hovering at 86.8800, compared with its close of 86.7275 during the previous trading session.

MCX Gold futures for 4 April 2025 settlement were added 0.12% to Rs 86.231.

The US Dollar index (DXY), which tracks the greenback's value against a basket of currencies, was down 0.04% to 106.63.

The United States 10-year bond yield declined 0.39% to 4.376.

In the commodities market, Brent crude for April 2025 settlement added 36 cents or 0.48% to $75.14 a barrel.

Stocks in Spotlight:

Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) rose 0.45%. The company intends to invest Rs 1,200 crore in subsidiary, ONGC Green via rights issue subscription.

Torrent Power added 0.21%. The company’s subsidiary, Torrent Green Energy incorporates Torrent Urja32 as a wholly owned subsidiary.

Cosmo First advanced 0.73%. The comapny’s subsidiary, Cosmo Specialty Chemicals has launched its innovative range of Oil and Grease Resistant (OGR) barrier coatings. These advanced solutions offer sustainable alternatives to traditional polyethylene coatings, addressing growing environmental concerns while maintaining superior performance.

Global Markets:

US Dow Jones index futures were up 92 points, indicating a positive opening in the US stocks today.

Asian shares declined on Tuesday, driven by concerns over potential U.S. investment restrictions on Chinese technology sectors and anticipation of Nvidia's earnings. The Bank of Korea's expected 0.25% interest rate cut provided limited support to South Korean stocks.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index continued its downward trend from Monday, following U.S. measures aimed at limiting Chinese investment in strategic areas like semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and aerospace.

Investor sentiment was further dampened by continued uncertainty surrounding potential U.S. tariffs on Mexico and Canada, despite prior hopes of negotiated resolutions.

U.S. indices finished lower on Monday, with tech stocks leading the decline. This followed sharp losses in the previous session, fueled by growing concerns about a potential slowdown in the U.S. economy, as indicated by weaker consumer sentiment data.

The S&P 500 fell 0.5% to 5,983.49 points, while the NASDAQ Composite slid 1.2% to 19,286.93 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 0.1% at 43,461.95 points.

All eyes are now on Nvidia's quarterly earnings release, scheduled for after the U.S. market close on Wednesday. Investors are particularly focused on whether the company maintained its high growth trajectory driven by strong demand for its advanced artificial intelligence chips.