The domestic equity benchmarks ended their six-day winning streak today due to profit booking and lingering global uncertainties. Despite strong gains earlier in the week, supported by optimism over upcoming GST reforms, robust domestic data including a sharp rise in India’s PMI and steady core sector growth, had boosted sentiment. However, mixed global cues from major economies and central banks created some hesitation. This combination led to the market pullback at the week’s end.
In the week ended on Friday, 22 August 2025, the S&P BSE Sensex jumped 709.19 points or 0.88% to settle at 81,306.85. The Nifty 50 index advanced 238.8 points or 0.97% to settle at 24,870.10. The BSE Mid-Cap index surged 2.02% to close at 45,890.28. The BSE Small-Cap index jumped 2.34% to end at 53,002.32.
Weekly Index Movement:
Domestic equity benchmarks surged on Monday, marking their third consecutive day of gains. The S&P BSE Sensex jumped 676.09 points or 0.84% to 81,273.75. The Nifty 50 index surged 245.65 points or 1% to 24,876.95. The 50-unit index is up 1.59% in three days.
The main equity indices closed with modest gains Tuesday, marking their fourth consecutive session of gains. The S&P BSE Sensex rallied 370.64 points or 0.46% to 81,644.39. The Nifty 50 index added 103.70 points or 0.42% to 24,980.65. In four trading sessions, the Sensex and Nifty have jumped 1.75% and 2.01%, respectively.
Domestic equities ended marginally higher on Wednesday, with the benchmarks extending their winning run to a fifth straight session. The S&P BSE Sensex advanced 213.45 points or 0.26% to 81,857.84. The Nifty 50 index added 69.90 points or 0.28% to 25,050.55. In five trading sessions, the Sensex and Nifty jumped 2.02% and 2.29%, respectively.
Domestic equities eked out modest gains on Thursday, stretching their winning streak to a sixth straight session. The S&P BSE Sensex advanced 142.87 points or 0.17% to 82,000.71. The Nifty 50 index added 0.13 points or 0.33.20% to 25,083.75. In the six trading sessions, the Sensex and Nifty have jumped 2.19% and 2.43%, respectively.
The domestic equity indices ended with major losses on Friday, snapping six-day winning streak. The S&P BSE Sensex, declined 693.86 points or 0.85% to 81,306.85. The Nifty 50 index fell 213.65 points or 0.85% to 24,870.10.
Economy:
The HSBC Flash India Composite PMI Output Index surged to 65.2 in August, up from 61.1 in July, signaling one of the fastest rates of expansion in over a year.
The services sector led the upturn, with the HSBC Flash India Services PMI Business Activity Index climbing to 65.6, compared to 60.5 in July. Meanwhile, the HSBC Flash India Manufacturing PMI Output Index rose to 64.2, up from 62.5 in July. The broader Manufacturing PMI, which includes new orders, employment, and inventories, edged up to 59.8, compared to 59.1 in the previous month.
Separately, India’s eight core industries grew by 2% in July 2025 compared to the same month last year, according to data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry on Wednesday. The growth was driven by higher production in steel, cement, fertilisers, and electricity.
The revised core sector growth for June 2025 stood at 2.2%, pointing to a steady industrial trend in the early months of the fiscal year.
Stocks in Spotlight:
Vodafone Idea soared 14.95%. The company’s consolidated basis, net loss stood at Rs 6,608.1 crore in Q1 FY26 higher than Rs 6,432.1 crore in Q1 FY25. Revenue from operations rose 4.9% YoY to Rs 11,022.5 crore from Rs 10,508.3 crore in Q1 FY25. Operationally, ARPU improved 15% YoY to Rs 177 from Rs 154 in Q1 FY25, driven by tariff revisions and customer upgrades. The 4G/5G subscriber base rose to 127.4 million versus 126.7 million last year.
Meanwhile, the following reports that the government is considering a fresh relief package to ease the telecom operator’s burden of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues.
HLE Glascoat climbed 23.24%. The company announced the successful completion of its strategic European acquisition. In a regulatory filing, the company disclosed that its wholly owned step-down subsidiary, HLE Surface Technologies GmbH, finalized the acquisition of specific assets of Germany-based Omeras GmbH, along with all shares of its subsidiary Omerastore GmbH, on 18 August 2025. The acquisition, valued at 2.75 million euros, follows HLE Glascoat's initial disclosure dated 14 August 2025.
Hindustan Zinc shed 0.35%. The company said that its board has approved to set up a tailings reprocessing plant at Rampura Agucha, Bhilwara, Rajasthan, aimed at recovering metals from the tailing dumps. The said project is part of the company’s plan to double its production capacity. The new plant, with a capacity of 10 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa), will be developed with an investment up to Rs 3,823 crore and is targeted for completion within 28 months from the zero date.
Dynamic Cables surged 16.72%. The company secured fresh BIS approvals to manufacture high-conductivity aluminium alloy conductors and fire survival cables, valid till August 2026. The firm also announced that capacity enhancements through debottlenecking and capex have lifted its monthly turnover potential to Rs 135 crore from Rs 100 crore, subject to demand and order flow.
Insolation Energy jumped 11.26%. The company announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Insolation Green Energy, has commenced commercial operations of its new 3 GW PV module manufacturing plant at Sawarda, Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Bajaj Finserv rose 2.10%. A foreign broker initiated coverage with a 'buy' rating and a target price of Rs 2,420, citing strong earnings visibility and limited threat from Jio Financial.
Nazara Technologies tumbled 18.41% after the Lok Sabha passed the Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which bans real money online games citing risks of gambling addiction, money laundering and financial fraud.
IndusInd Bank declined 1.27%. The bank has announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), a Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of MSME.
Oriental Rail Infrastructure surged 14.66%. The company’s material wholly owned unlisted subsidiary, Oriental Foundry (OFPL), has received a letter of acceptance (LoA) worth Rs 60 crore from the Ministry of Railways, Gov of India.
NTPC Green Energy advanced 2.52%. The company’s wholly owned subsidiary, NTPC Renewable Energy has commissioned third part capacity of 49.125 MW out of its 300 MW Khavda solar energy project at Bhuj, Gujarat.
Global Markets:
Japan's exports dropped 2.6% year over year in July, notching their steepest drop in over four years. The fall was sharper than the widely expected 2.1% contraction and the 0.5% drop seen in June.
Japan’s core inflation rate cooled to 3.1% in July, declining from 3.3% the month before as rice inflation continued to ease.
China kept benchmark lending rates unchanged for the third consecutive month on Wednesday, as authorities signaled they are in no rush to deliver monetary stimulus despite a string of recent disappointing economic data. The one-year loan prime rate (LPR) was kept at 3.0%, while the five-year LPR was unchanged at 3.5%.
U.K.'s annual inflation rate hit a hotter-than-expected 3.8% in July, according to data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Wednesday.
July core inflation, which excludes more volatile energy, food, alcohol, and tobacco prices, rose by an annual 3.8%, up from 3.7% in the twelve months to June.
HCOB Flash Eurozone Composite PMI Output Index rose to 51.1 in August 2025, from 50.9 in July 2025. HCOB Flash Eurozone Manufacturing PMI rose to 50.5 in August 2025, from 49.8 in July 2025 while HCOB Flash Eurozone Services PMI Business Activity Index edged down to 50.7 in August 2025 from with 51.0 in July 2025.
The US Census Bureau data released Friday morning showed retail sales rose 0.5% in July from the prior month.
Meanwhile, US consumer sentiment deteriorated in August, falling for the first time in four months as inflation expectations jumped in the longer term.
U.S. business activity picked up pace in August, led by a resurgent manufacturing sector that saw the strongest growth in orders in 18 months, a purchasing managers survey showed on Thursday. S&P Global's flash U.S. Composite PMI Output Index, which tracks the manufacturing and services sectors, increased to 55.4 this month, the highest level since December, from 55.1 in July. A reading above 50 indicates expansion in the private sector.
Further, the number of Americans filing new applications for jobless benefits rose by the most in about three months last week and the number of people collecting unemployment relief in the prior week climbed to the highest level in nearly four years, signaling recent labor market softness continued into August.