Bajaj Twins Drag as Sensex, Nifty End Flat Despite FII Support
New Delhi, May 1 2025 — Indian stock markets closed on a muted note Wednesday, with both the Nifty50 and Sensex ending flat after a session marked by heightened volatility. The dip came amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and heavy sell-offs in key financial stocks, though consistent foreign fund inflows helped cushion the downside.
Benchmark Indices Hold Ground
The Nifty50 edged lower by 1.75 points or 0.01%, closing at 24,334.20. The BSE Sensex dipped 46.14 points or 0.06% to settle at 80,242.24. Throughout the session, the Sensex fluctuated sharply—touching an intraday high of 80,525.61 and a low of 79,879.15.
“Nifty extended its consolidation for the second consecutive session ahead of key US economic data, especially the Q1 GDP report,” said Siddhartha Khemka, Head of Research, Motilal Oswal Financial Services. “Market sentiment remains cautious due to ongoing India-Pakistan geopolitical concerns.”
Bajaj Twins Under Pressure Despite Strong Earnings
Bajaj Finserv and Bajaj Finance were among the top laggards, dropping over 5% and nearly 5% respectively. This came despite both companies reporting robust earnings:
-
Bajaj Finserv posted a 14% rise in consolidated net profit to ₹2,417 crore for the March 2025 quarter.
-
Bajaj Finance reported a 16% increase in standalone net profit, reaching ₹3,940 crore.
The sell-off suggests that investors may have already priced in the earnings or remain wary amid broader Nifty50 market uncertainty.
Mixed Performance Across Sectors
Other underperformers from the Nifty50 and Sensex pack included Tata Motors, SBI, UltraTech Cement, TCS, Tata Steel, and Asian Paints. On the upside, Maruti Suzuki, Bharti Airtel, Power Grid, Hindustan Unilever, and HDFC Bank saw modest gains.
The BSE SmallCap index fell 1.74%, while the MidCap index slipped 0.72%.
“Benchmark indices remained largely flat for the second straight session, indicating a consolidation phase. Rising geopolitical tensions and muted Q4 results continue to restrain market sentiment,” said Satish Chandra Aluri, Analyst, Lemonn Markets Desk.
Sector-Wise Breakdown
-
Declining sectors: Industrials (-1.20%), Services (-1.10%), Commodities (-0.93%), Power (-0.89%), Utilities (-0.88%), Financial Services (-0.72%)
-
Gaining sectors: Telecommunications, Auto, Realty, and Technology
The sectoral movement mirrored broader indecision on the Nifty50, with defensive plays gaining mild traction.
Global Market Snapshot
Asian markets were mixed:
-
South Korea’s Kospi and China’s SSE Composite ended in the red.
-
Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng posted gains.
European markets traded in positive territory, while US markets also ended higher on Tuesday—offering some encouragement for Nifty50 futures ahead of Thursdays open.
FIIs Remain Optimistic, Crude Prices Slide
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth ₹2,385.61 crore on Tuesday, offering some support to domestic markets.
Meanwhile, Brent Crude prices dropped 0.92% to USD 63.66 per barrel, easing some inflationary concerns.