The BSE Sensex snapped its two-day winning streak and ended marginally lower, slipping 0.05% to close at 85,524.84. On the other hand, the NSE Nifty 50 extended its rally for a third consecutive session, edging up 0.02% (4.75 points) to settle at 26,177.15.
The Nifty SmallCap 100 index rose 0.37%, suggesting continued interest in smaller companies.
The Nifty MidCap 100 ended almost flat, indicating a pause after recent gains.
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Impact on the stock market
Sector-wise performance
From a sectoral perspective, technology stocks were clearly under pressure. Nifty IT was the worst-performing sector of the day, declining 0.80%, as heavyweight IT names dragged the index lower.
On the brighter side, Nifty Media stood out as the top gainer, rising 0.84%. Metal, media and FMCG indices also closed in the green, supported by selective stock-specific buying and defensive demand.
| Sector/Index | Performance |
| IT & BPM sector | -0.80% |
| Healthcare sector | -0.24% |
| Oil & Gas sector | 0.01% |
| Real estate sector | -0.17% |
| PSU Bank in India | -0.34% |
Top gainers today
| Company | Share Price (in ₹) | Change % |
| Coal India | 400.40 | 3.66 |
| Shriram Finance | 957.80 | 2.45 |
| UltraTechCement | 11,678.00 | 1.27 |
| ITC | 407.35 | 1.15 |
| TMPV | 2,147.60 | 1.14 |
Top losers today
| Company | Share Price (in ₹) | Change % |
| HDFC Life | 761.80 | -0.61 |
| SBI | 974.30 | -0.61 |
| Kotak Mahindra | 2,149.70 | -0.45 |
| TATA Cons. Products | 1,178.80 | -0.44 |
| SBI Life Insurance | 2,022.30 | -0.30 |
Market aftermath: Impact on stocks
HFCL: Fund raise at a premium boosts confidence
Shares of HFCL jumped 4% to ₹66.5 after the company launched a qualified institutional placement (QIP) at a premium.
The floor price for the QIP was set at ₹65.84 per share, about 3% higher than its previous closing price. A premium issue is usually read as a sign of confidence, indicating that institutional investors believe the company’s valuation can improve over time.
HFCL plans to use the funds for:
- Capacity expansion in optic fibre cables
- Research and development initiatives
- Repayment of borrowings
- Long-term working capital needs
Despite Tuesday’s rally, the stock has fallen around 40% so far in 2025, showing how volatile its journey has been.
Domestic brokerage Axis Securities expects HFCL’s revenue to grow 20% year-on-year in FY26, backed by a strong order book of ₹9,891 crore. The company is expanding its high fibre count cable capacity to 19 million fibre kilometre per annum, with total capacity expected to reach 42.36 million by June 2026.
Axis Securities also sees long-term potential from defence manufacturing, with defence revenue projected at ₹200 crore-plus in FY26 and ₹500 crore in FY27, along with export orders of ₹650 crore executable by April 2026. The brokerage sees up to 126% upside from current levels.
JK Tyre & Industries: Re-rating story gathers pace
JK Tyre & Industries shares surged over 6% after Emkay Global reiterated a bullish view and raised its target price.
The stock touched a fresh 52-week high of ₹522.05, before cooling off slightly. Emkay Global raised its target price to ₹625, implying an upside of over 27% from the previous close of ₹490.90.
According to the brokerage, JK Tyre is entering a phase of accelerating revenue growth and still looks undervalued compared to peers. A ₹5,000-crore medium-term capital expenditure plan is expected to improve multi-year growth visibility, with strong cash generation helping fund most of this expansion.
The numbers tell a strong comeback story:
- Up nearly 9% in one week
- Gained over 14% in one month
- Up 32% so far in 2025
- Delivered 202% returns in three years
- Surged 585% over five years
After hitting a low of ₹243 in March, the stock has more than doubled in just nine months.
Canara HSBC Life Insurance: Strong debut momentum continues
Shares of Canara HSBC Life Insurance hit a fresh 52-week high of ₹157.11 after brokerage Investec initiated coverage with a ‘Buy’ rating.
The stock opened nearly 18% higher, though it later pared gains and was trading around ₹137.51, still up 3.21% in afternoon trade.
Investec has set a target price of ₹225, implying an upside of around 69% from the previous close of ₹133.23.
The brokerage highlighted the company’s strong fundamentals, noting a 21% compound annual growth rate in annualised premium equivalent over the past decade. Plans by HSBC to double its branch network over the next two to three years, along with efforts to scale distribution channels, are expected to help the insurer grow faster than the industry.
Since its October listing, the stock has already gained about 25.4%, reflecting strong investor interest in the life insurance space.
Crude oil: Global tensions keep prices sensitive
Crude oil prices eased slightly in early trade after rising more than 2% in the previous session.
- Brent crude slipped 0.18% to $61.96 per barrel
- WTI crude fell 0.22% to $57.88 per barrel
The earlier rally was driven by geopolitical concerns. The US indicated it may sell or retain Venezuelan crude seized under sanctions, while ongoing attacks between Russia and Ukraine around the Black Sea raised fears of supply disruptions.
That said, analysts remain cautious. Barclays expects oil markets to stay well supplied in the first half of 2026, even if Venezuelan exports fall sharply. However, the global oil surplus is projected to shrink to 700,000 barrels per day by the fourth quarter of 2026, meaning any prolonged disruption could tighten the market faster than expected.
For equity markets, oil remains a key variable, influencing inflation expectations, interest rate outlooks and sector performance.
Conclusion:
Tuesday’s session was not about big index moves. It was about rotation, stock-specific triggers and global signals quietly shaping investor decisions.
While Sensex and Nifty barely moved, stocks like HFCL, JK Tyre and Canara HSBC Life delivered sharp reactions to earnings visibility, fund-raising plans and brokerage upgrades. At the same time, weak IT performance and uncertain global oil dynamics kept overall sentiment in check.
For investors, the takeaway is simple: on days like these, the real action often lies beneath the surface. Watching sectors, company fundamentals and global cues can be far more valuable than tracking index points alone.
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