Post-Market Report: Indian Benchmarks Extend Gains on Fed Rate Cut and Trade Optimism

Market Performance Today

Indian benchmark indices recorded modest gains on Thursday, September 18, 2025, extending their rally for a third consecutive session. The S&P BSE Sensex closed at 83,013.96, marking an increase of 320.25 points, or 0.39%. Similarly, the NSE Nifty 50 advanced by 93.35 points, or 0.37%, to settle at 25,423.60. The market's positive momentum was evident from the opening bell, with both indices starting in the green following global cues.

Top Movers (Sectors and Stocks)

Several sectors contributed significantly to the day's positive close:

• Leading Sectors:
  • Healthcare and Pharmaceutical companies outperformed, with the Nifty Pharma index rising 1.33% and the Healthcare index gaining 1.50%.
  • IT stocks were also prominent gainers, as the Nifty IT index increased by 0.83%.
  • Nifty Financial Services jumped 0.51%, Nifty Bank rose 0.42%, Nifty Auto moved up 0.13%, and Nifty FMCG gained 0.36%.

• Top Nifty Gainers:

  • Eternal (up 3%)
  • HDFC Life Insurance Company (up 2%)
  • Sun Pharma (up 1.75%)
  • Infosys
  • HCL Technologies
  • Tech Mahindra

  • Top Nifty Losers:

  • Coal India (down 1.70%)

  • Bajaj Finance (down 1.3%)
  • Trent (down 1%)
  • Tata Motors
  • UltraTech Cement

Key Drivers of Today's Market

The primary catalyst for Thursday's market rally was the US Federal Reserve's decision to cut benchmark interest rates by 25 basis points to a range of 4-4.25%. The Fed also hinted at the possibility of two more rate reductions this year, which bolstered investor sentiment and global liquidity.

Further supporting the positive mood were optimism surrounding ongoing India-US trade negotiations and expectations of a favorable outcome. Underlying the market's rally were also expectations of earnings revival in Indian companies. Additionally, recent Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms contributed to the buoyant sentiment.

Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) remained net buyers, purchasing equities worth ₹2,293.53 crore, while Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) were net sellers, offloading shares worth ₹1,124.54 crore on Wednesday.

Broader Market Performance

The broader markets largely mirrored the positive trend of the benchmark indices. The BSE Midcap index rose by 0.36%, while the Nifty Midcap 100 gained 0.38%. The Nifty Smallcap 100 also saw an increase of 0.29%. Market breadth remained positive, with 1,606 shares advancing against 1,426 declining on the NSE.

TAGS: Post-Market, Stock Market, Nifty, Sensex, Market Analysis

Tags: Post-Market Stock Market Nifty Sensex Market Analysis