The Sensex fell by 239.31 points, or 0.29%, ending at 81,312.32 after oscillating between 81,613.36 and 81,244.02 during the day. Similarly, the NSE Nifty50 ended down by 73.75 points or 0.30%, settling at 24,752.45, after trading in a range of 24,864.25 to 24,737.05.
It was a day of cautious trading, where the broader market also showed a mixed picture. The Nifty Midcap100 remained almost flat, down marginally by 0.02%, while the Nifty Smallcap100 edged up by 0.33%. This divergence hinted at selective buying interest in smaller stocks despite the broader cautious mood.
The India VIX, a gauge of market volatility, eased by 2.79% to 18.02 points, suggesting that despite the day’s declines, traders expect less uncertainty in the near term.
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Impact on the stock market
Looking deeper into sectoral performance, the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector emerged as the biggest laggard, dropping 1.49%. The fall was led by stocks like ITC, which declined 1.17%, impacted by a large block deal where British American Tobacco sold a 2.5% stake, relinquishing veto power.
Other sectors also saw weakness, with indices for Auto, Metal, Pharma, Consumer Durables, and Healthcare declining by up to 0.68%. On the flip side, some sectors bucked the trend. Nifty Media gained 1.04%, while PSU Bank stocks rose 0.97%, indicating selective buying interest.
| Sector/Index | Performance |
| IT & BPM sector | -0.10% |
| Healthcare sector | -0.66% |
| Oil & Gas sector | -0.03% |
| Real estate sector | -0.15% |
| PSU Bank in India | 0.97% |
Top gainers today
| Company | Price (in ₹) | Change % |
| HDFC Life Share Price | 789.45 | 1.76 |
| Bharat Elec Share Price | 390.45 | 1.31 |
| Bajaj Finance Share Price | 9,267.50 | 1.05 |
| Bharti Airtel Share Price | 1,856.10 | 0.67 |
| Hero Motocorp Share Price | 4,362.20 | 0.55 |
Top losers today
| Company | Price (in ₹) | Change % |
| ITC Share Price | 420.20 | -3.16 |
| IndusInd Bank Share Price | 805.15 | -1.89 |
| Nestle Share Price | 2,419.00 | -1.70 |
| Apollo Hospital Share Price | 6,956.50 | -1.65 |
| UltraTechCement Share Price | 11,238.00 | -1.60 |
Market aftermath: Impact on stocks
Apollo Micro Systems surges on ₹114-crore export order
Amidst the cautious market mood, Apollo Micro Systems caught investors’ attention, soaring over 11% to hit a fresh all-time high of ₹ 175 per share. This came after the company announced a significant ₹ 114 crore export order to develop an advanced avionics system for civil and military aircraft. While technical details remain under wraps due to confidentiality, the deal signals strong growth potential in the defence sector.
The stock has gained a whopping 51% over the past month, riding the wave of increased defence spending linked to rising India-Pakistan border tensions. The Nifty Defence index mirrored this optimism, rising nearly 1% for the sixth consecutive day. Other defence stocks like Unimech Aerospace (+10%), Astra Microwave (+4%), and Garden Reach Shipbuilders (+3.5%) also enjoyed gains, proving that defence remains a hotspot despite the overall market dip.
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Gujarat Fluorochemicals dips 5% after mixed Q4 earnings
On the downside, Gujarat Fluorochemicals (GFL) shares dropped 5.3% following a Q4 earnings report that missed expectations. Although the company reported an 8% year-on-year revenue increase to ₹ 1,225 crore and a 52% quarterly jump in profit after tax (₹ 191 crore), analysts highlighted that the profit growth was largely due to a lower tax rate rather than operational improvements.
Standalone EBITDA declined sequentially by 7%, impacted by a shutdown in the CMS-1 plant that caused a 15% production loss. Brokerages remain divided. Emkay Global maintained a sell rating, citing limited near-term upside, while Nuvama Institutional Equities stayed bullish with a raised target price of ₹ 4,749, betting on volume growth in fluoropolymers.
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NMDC shares slip 2% as profit drops 22% quarter-on-quarter
Shares of NMDC, India’s largest iron ore producer, slipped 2% after the company reported a 21.8% sequential fall in Q4 net profit to ₹ 1,483 crore, though it still showed a 4.8% rise compared to last year. Revenue rose 6.7% quarter-on-quarter to ₹ 7,005 crore, supported by a strong jump in pellet sales, which saw nearly a tenfold increase from last year.
Despite the recent quarterly profit dip, NMDC has outperformed the benchmark Nifty 50 over the past month, gaining 9%. The government continues to hold a majority stake of 60.79%, and the company is ramping up output from its fully mechanised mines across Chhattisgarh and Karnataka.
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Crude oil futures gain on US sanctions, geopolitical tension
Crude oil prices were firmer on Wednesday, driven by US sanctions barring Chevron from exporting Venezuelan crude. June crude futures traded at ₹ 5,251 per barrel on MCX, up 1.16%, with Brent crude rising 0.49% to $63.88 and WTI crude up 0.51% to $61.20 per barrel.
The sanctions limit Chevron’s operations in Venezuela, allowing asset maintenance but restricting oil exports. Meanwhile, tensions around the Russia-Ukraine war continue to influence global energy markets. Former US President Donald Trump’s recent warnings to Vladimir Putin about Russia’s ongoing conflict have stirred concerns of further sanctions on Russian energy flows, adding uncertainty to supply.
Natural gas futures also climbed 1.77% to ₹ 321.50 per unit, while commodity contracts such as jeera and turmeric showed mild declines.
Conclusion:
To sum up, the Indian stock market on 28th May 2025 was marked by cautious trading and sectoral divergences. While benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty slipped modestly, pockets of strength emerged in defence and media stocks, supported by strong news flow and geopolitical developments.
Meanwhile, select companies like Apollo Micro Systems stole the spotlight with big export wins, whereas others like Gujarat Fluorochemicals and NMDC faced profit pressures, reminding investors that earnings quality still matters.
Crude oil futures reflected global geopolitical risks and sanctions impacting supply chains, which could add fuel to market volatility ahead. For retail investors, the message is clear: watch sectors and stocks selectively, stay alert to global cues, and keep an eye on underlying fundamentals even on choppy days like this.
For more stock market insights, check out the StockGro blog.
