Sensex Surge Over 1,300 Points, Nifty Above 22,500 as Markets Cheer US Tariff Pause
In a strong start to Friday’s trading session, Indian stock markets rallied sharply as investor sentiment improved following a 90-day pause in new trade tariffs announced by the White House. The S&P BSE Sensex surged 1,353.59 points to 75,200.74, while the NSE Nifty 50 rose 443.70 points to 22,842.85 as of 9:43 am.
The market rally was driven by a strong performance in pharma, metal, and auto stocks, with all sectoral indices trading in the green.
Pharma stocks led the charge, with the Nifty Pharma index jumping 3.02%. Nifty Metal followed closely, rising 2.71%. Other top-performing sectors included healthcare, media, consumer durables, and technology.
Tata Motors emerged as the top gainer on the Sensex, rising 4.25%, followed by Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (3.69%) and Tata Steel (3.62%). Bajaj Finserv and Larsen & Toubro also posted strong gains of 2.56% and 2.55%, respectively.
On the flip side, a few heavyweight stocks remained in negative territory. Asian Paints fell 1.10%, Nestlé India dipped 0.41%, and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) slipped 0.34%.
Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, said, “There is no room for a sustained rally in the market in the present uncertain context. But investors can take relief from the fact that Indian macros are good and we are one of the least impacted countries in this trade war.
He advised investors to prioritise safety over returns, suggesting a focus on “fairly valued largecaps” amid global volatility.
Aditya Gaggar, Director at Progressive Shares, also advised a wait-and-watch approach. “Although there are early signs of strength in the Auto and FMCG sectors, a definitive confirmation is still awaited before making any directional bets,” he said.
The broader market echoed the positive sentiment with the Nifty Midcap100 gaining 1.38% and Nifty Smallcap100 up by 1.69%. The India VIX, a measure of market volatility, declined by 5.47%, indicating reduced investor nervousness.
While Friday’s sharp rally has buoyed investor morale, analysts caution that sustained gains will depend on further clarity on global trade policies and geopolitical stability. The ongoing earnings season and macroeconomic data releases will also be closely watched by investors in the coming weeks.
