Sensex Finishes on Higher Note

India’s BSE Sensex closed about 1.9% firmer at 74,068.45 on Tuesday, recouping part of the prior day's heavy losses. The rally followed a five-day postponement of planned US strikes on Iran’s power and energy infrastructure, which President Trump attributed to “productive talks” with Tehran. The move briefly raised hopes of potential de-escalation in the Middle East amid mixed signals from both sides. A major drag on the market, however, remained heavy selling by foreign investors. All sectors posted gains, as traders moved to buy quality stocks at discounted prices. Financials and banks rebounded sharply, rising more than 2%, with heavyweight lenders attracting strong buying interest. HDFC Bank gained 2.9% after approving the appointment of external law firms to review the resignation letter of former chairman Atanu Chakraborty. Other sectors including capital goods, auto and IT also advanced. Stocks such as L&T, IndiGO, Eternal, Asian Paints and Adani Ports saw gains up to 5.2%.

The SENSEX Index rose 1520 points or 2.09 percent on Tuesday to close at 74217 points. Leading the gains are Eternal Limited (5.79%), Larsen & Toubro (5.25%) and Bajaj Finance (4.85%).

India’s BSE Sensex rose about 1.2%, up at 73,573 on Tuesday, rebounding from the previous session’s steep losses and tracking gains in Asian equities after Donald Trump postponed planned strikes on Iran’s power grid. Markets may remain volatile as Trump cited productive talks with Iran, while Tehran denied any negotiations, signaling no clear diplomatic breakthrough. On the data front, India’s HSBC Composite PMI Flash is due later, with expectations at 58.7 in March, slightly below 58.9 in February but still firmly in expansion territory. Among corporate developments, HDFC Bank is reviewing leadership changes, IndiGo has appointed new strategic leadership, Coal India plans stake sales in subsidiaries, and Kotak Mahindra Bank may acquire Deutsche Bank’s India retail business. All stock sectors moved into positive territory, led by heavyweight financials. Among early gainers were HDFC Bank (+1.6%), Larsen & Toubro (+2.5%), ICICI Bank (+1.6%), Eternal Limited (+3.5%), and NOCIL (+7.5%).