As per provisional closing data, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, advanced 147.71 points or 0.20% to 74,602.12. The Nifty 50 index fell 5.80 points or 0.03% to 22,547.55.

The broader market underperformed the frontline indices. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index fell 0.57% and the S&P BSE Small-Cap index declined 0.45%.

The market breadth was negative. On the BSE, 1,677 shares rose and 2,255 shares fell. A total of 130 shares were unchanged.

The stock market will remain closed tomorrow, 26th February 2025, in observance of Mahashivratri.

Buzzing Index:

The Nifty Metal index dropped 1.54% to 8,293.45. The index fell 3.67% in the two trading sessions.

National Aluminium Company (down 4.71%), Hindalco Industries (down 3.5%), Vedanta (down 3.22%), Jindal Stainless (down 2.91%) and Hindustan Zinc (down 2.02%) were the top losers. Among the other losers were NMDC (down 1.89%), Steel Authority of India (down 1.29%), Welspun Corp (down 1.25%), Jindal Steel & Power (down 0.96%) and APL Apollo Tubes (down 0.91%) declined.

Stocks in Spotlight:

Bharti Airtel added 2.55% after the company and Ericsson strengthen partnership to deploy advanced 5G core network for enhanced connectivity in India.

Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) shed 0.60%. The company has announced an investment of Rs 1,200 crore in its wholly-owned subsidiary, ONGC Green (OGL) by subscribing to a rights issue of equity shares.

Biocon added 0.06% after the company announced that its subsidiary, Biocon Biologics (BBL), has launched YESINTEK (ustekinumab-kfce) in the United States. The biosimilar is approved for the treatment of Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, increasing patient access to more cost-effective treatment options for use in the treatment of common chronic autoimmune diseases.

Gensol Engineering declined 0.51%. The company said that it has signed a non-binding term sheet for the sale of its US subsidiary Scorpius Trackers Inc. to a major renewable energy solutions provider in the US for Rs 350 crore.

NTPC fell 0.36%. The company announced that it has signed multiple memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the Madhya Pradesh government to invest over Rs 2 lakh crore in renewable energy projects.

Zaggle Prepaid Ocean Services advanced 1.74% after the company announced that it has entered into an agreement with Honasa Consumer.

Marksans Pharma declined 3.32%. The company announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Relonchem, received marketing authorization for the products Ibuprofen and Paracetamol 200 mg/500 mg film-coated tablets.

Adani Wilmar dropped 2.11%. The company announced that it has received shareholder approval to change its name from Adani Wilmar to AWL Agri Business through postal ballot.

Global Markets:

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

European shares advanced on Tuesday as investors awaited for corporate earnings and geopolitical developments.

The Germany’s Federal Statistical Office confirmed that the country’s economy contracted by 0.2% quarter-on-quarter in the final three months of 2024, matching the preliminary reading from the end of January.

Meanwhile, the conservative Christian Democratic Union and the allied Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) secured the largest share of votes in the election on Sunday, with the alliance’s candidate Friedrich Merz set to take over from Olaf Scholz as chancellor of Europe’s largest economy

Asian stocks tumbled after Wall Street fell overnight as tariff threats by U.S. President Donald Trump stoked a risk-off mood. 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.