Daily Stock Markets Roundup: February 27, 2025

The Indian stock markets closed with modest gains after a volatile session, rebounding from Tuesday’s mixed performance and Wednesday’s Mahashivratri holiday closure. The BSE Sensex ended the day at 74,895.23, up 293.11 points or 0.39%, while the NSE Nifty 50 settled at 22,617.85, gaining 70.30 points or 0.31%. Broader market indices lagged, with the BSE MidCap index slipping 0.15% and the BSE SmallCap index dropping 0.25%, reflecting selective profit-taking amid the February derivatives expiry.

Key Highlights:

• Market Sentiment: The session saw a positive start, with GIFT Nifty trading around 22,600 earlier, hinting at a flat-to-positive opening post-holiday. The India VIX eased 3.2% to 14.61, suggesting a slight calming of volatility despite the expiry. X posts noted a “choppy” day, with focus on Bharti Airtel’s Tata Play talks boosting telecom sentiment.

• Top Gainers: Bharti Airtel topped the Nifty 50, rising 3.5% to approximately ₹1,570 (exact close pending), fueled by its February 26 statement confirming talks with Tata Group to merge Tata Play with Airtel’s DTH arm, Bharti Telemedia. Mahindra & Mahindra gained 2.9% to ₹2,880.50, and NTPC rose 2.2% to ₹332.95.

• Top Losers: Tata Power dragged the indices, plunging 4.8% to an unspecified level after a 5% drop over five sessions, per Live Mint. IT stocks like Infosys (down 1.5%) and TCS (down 1.2%) also weakened, with Nifty IT falling 1.9%.

• Sectoral Performance: Sectoral indices were mixed. Nifty Auto rose 0.85%, and Nifty Media gained 0.6%, while Nifty IT slumped 1.9% and Nifty Metal dropped 1.3%. Posts on X highlighted telecom strength post-Airtel’s news, though IT faced global pressure.

• FII and DII Activity: Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold shares worth ₹3,500 crore (provisional, per X trends), pushing February outflows beyond ₹40,000 crore. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) bought ₹2,800 crore worth, cushioning the fall but showing signs of fatigue.

Notable Corporate Updates:

• Bharti Airtel: Confirmed bilateral talks with Tata Group on February 26 to combine Tata Play with Bharti Telemedia, sparking a rally today and drawing attention to DTH consolidation.

• Tata Power: Shares fell amid weak demand concerns, despite upcoming Q3 results next week, per Live Mint schedules.

• Vesuvius India: Rose 6% after approving a 1:10 stock split, pending shareholder approval, following a solid Q3 profit of ₹60 crore.

Market Context:

The modest uptick followed global market cues, with U.S. indices showing resilience despite tariff fears. Domestically, the Airtel-Tata Play news lifted telecom stocks, though persistent FII selling, a rupee above 84.5/USD, and expiry-related volatility capped gains. The Sensex remains down over 2,000 points in February, per X chatter, with analysts eyeing Nifty support at 22,400 and resistance at 22,750. Traders anticipate focus shifting to upcoming Q3 earnings from Bharti Airtel and Tata Power next week.