Foreign investors pulled out more than $1 billion from Indian stock markets on March 24. This makes a total Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI) withdrawal of over $11 billion in March so far.

BSE Sensex closed at 74,068.45, up 1,372.06 points or 1.89 per cent. NSE Nifty50 closed at 22,957.8, up 445.15 points or 1.98 per cent. 

China and Hong Kong stocks rebounded on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump postponed a threat to strike Iran's power grid, offering a brief lift to risk appetite even as investors stayed wary following Tehran's denial that any talks had taken place.

At 3:00 pm, the Nifty50 was trading 386.65 points or 1.72 per cent higher at 22,899.30, and the Sensex was trading 1.9 per cent or 1,383.56 points higher at 74,098.97.

Zinc prices on Tuesday fell Rs 1.85 to Rs 307.20 per kg in futures trade as speculators reduced their exposure, tracking negative cues from the spot market.

Aluminium prices dropped by Rs 2.45 to Rs 328.65 per kg in the futures trade on Tuesday as participants trimmed their positions amid a weak trend in spot markets.

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At 2 pm, BSE Sensex was at 74,175.01, up 1,478.62 points or 2.03 per cent and NSE Nifty50 was at 22,785.5, up 272.85 points or 1.21 per cent. 

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Sensex rose 1,554 points to hit in intraday high of 74,250.47 levels, while the NSE Nifty50 jumped 483 points to 22,995.85 levels.

The Nifty50 was trading 2.03 per cent or 457.90 points higher at 22,969.95. The Sensex was trading 2.05 per cent or 1,489.14 points higher at 74,185.53.

1) Value buying

2) Firm global cues

3) India VIX declines

4) Easing geopolitical concerns

5) Easing crude

Gold and silver ETFs saw steep declines for a second straight session as a stronger US dollar and fading expectations of near-term rate cuts weighed on sentiment. 

At 12 pm, the Nifty50 was trading 1.30 per cent or 293.75 points higher at 22,807.65, and the Sensex was trading 1.33 per cent or 968.50 points higher at 73,664.44.

Shares of HDFC Bank snapped a four-day losing streak on Tuesday, rebounding nearly 2 per cent in trade. The stock opened with a gain of over 1 per cent at Rs 755 and touched a high of Rs 759.20. 

Swiggy hikes platform fee to Rs 17.58 from Rs 14.99. Swiggy's new platform fee in line with Zomato's fee of Rs 17.58.

Indian government bonds extended losses ​on Tuesday, largely defying a ​pullback in oil prices, as elevated US Treasury yields ​and a large state debt sale weighed on sentiment.

At 11 am, the Nifty50 was trading 141.85 points or 0.64 per cent higher at 22,651.65, and the Sensex was trading 0.60 per cent or 434.80 points higher at 73,160.76.

India's banking system witnessed a steady improvement in credit growth in the financial year 2025-26 (FY26), but analysts at Nomura warn that this momentum could come at the cost of margins, with banks increasingly relying on internal liquidity buffers rather than deposit mobilisation to spur growth. 

InvestorAi Strategic View

The Thesis

A dramatic overnight pivot. After Monday's 600-point Nifty carnage to 22,512, Trump postponed strikes on Iranian power plants by five days, citing "productive conversations." Brent collapsed 11% below $105 and GIFT Nifty surged 650 points to 23,400 - setting up a massive gap-up open today. InvestorAi is doubling down on energy: BPCL leads today's signals at four-model conviction, with HINDPETRO persistent at three. But the models are also diversifying - TATA POWER, MAX FINANCIAL, and SUPREME INDUSTRIES signal a broadening beyond pure oil plays into power infrastructure and domestic consumption. With India VIX at 26.73, the rupee breaching 94, and F&O expiry looming this week, the models are positioning for a relief rally while keeping energy as the anchor.

Where We're Concentrated

Energy remains the core bet - BPCL and HINDPETRO together account for the two strongest oil signals. But today's data shows conviction spreading into power infrastructure (TATA POWER), financial services (MAX FINANCIAL), and industrials (SUPREME INDUSTRIES, 3M INDIA). This broadening suggests the models see the relief rally extending beyond pure oil beneficiaries into names that were oversold in Monday's panic. The thesis breaks if Trump's five-day postponement is a head-fake and strikes resume, sending crude back above $115 and reversing the gap-up. US markets rallied overnight (S&P +1.4%, VIX -5.9% to 25.2), providing a supportive backdrop - but the ceasefire window is narrow.

Conviction Picks

BPCL Highest Conviction

Refining margins remain elevated even as crude retreats from $112, and BPCL's domestic retail network provides pricing resilience that pure upstream names lack.

HINDPETRO Persistent Conviction

HPCL's appearance alongside BPCL reinforces that the models see downstream oil marketing as a structural, not tactical, play through the crisis.

TATA POWER

India's power infrastructure story gains urgency as the energy crisis exposes grid vulnerabilities. Tata Power's renewable capacity and distribution footprint make it a domestic energy security play beyond imported crude.

MAX FINANCIAL

The contrarian financials pick - while BankNifty collapsed below 51,500 on Monday, the models are identifying value in life insurance, a sector with sticky premiums and less direct exposure to credit cycle fears.

SUPREME INDUSTRIES

A domestic industrials name signalling the models see beyond the crisis. Plastics piping and building products benefit from India's infrastructure spend - a bet that the domestic capex story survives the geopolitical shock.

One Thing to Watch

Trump's five-day window. The postponement buys time until Saturday - if diplomatic momentum builds and Hormuz restrictions ease, crude could fall to $90 and unlock a sustained Nifty recovery above 23,500. If talks collapse and strikes resume, Monday's 22,512 low will be tested again. Thursday's F&O monthly expiry adds another layer of volatility. The gap-up open today is a gift - the question is whether it holds by close.

At 10 am, the Nifty50 was trading 239.85 points or 1.04 per cent higher at 22,745.5, and the Sensex was trading 778.80 points or 1.07 per cent higher at 73,478.4.

India VIX, the fear gauge index, slipped nearly 7.52 per cent, but remained at elevated, at 24.72, suggesting that traders should prepare for sharp price swings.

Gold and silver rates today fell more than 3 per cent to extend losses on Tuesday, after signs of de-escalation in the Middle East conflict. The COMEX gold rate today was down 1.51 per cent to $4,370 per ounce, while the COMEX silver prices today were trading 3.30 per cent lower at $67 per ounce, during the Asian trading hours on Tuesday.

Manav Modi, Previous Metals Analyst, Commodities, MOFSL

Gold prices have corrected sharply from recent highs near $5,200 to around $4,200, but this does not undermine its status as a safe-haven asset. Historically, gold has rallied strongly during periods of uncertainty, and ongoing geopolitical tensions like the US-Iran conflict continue to provide underlying support. However, the current phase is being dominated by rising oil and energy prices, which are amplifying inflation fears. This has shifted market expectations toward tighter monetary policy, with rising US yields and a stronger dollar index exerting pressure on gold. Additionally, the uptick in USDINR reflects broader currency volatility. As a result, inflation and liquidity concerns are currently outweighing safe-haven demand, keeping gold prices under pressure.

Sensex surges 1,510 pts at pre-open, Nifty above 22,800, Asia markets gain

Indian bond yields posted their sharpest jump in nearly 30 months, ending at their highest level since January last year.

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Akshay Chinchalkar, Managing Partner and Head of Markets Strategy at the Wealth Company

Over to stocks, and the nifty closed 2.6 per cent down at 22513, and the bank nifty slumped 3.7 per cent in what was its largest single-day drop since general elections day. The India VIX soared 17.2 per cent and settled just shy of 27. Mid- and small caps dropped more than the nifty. 20 stocks fell for every stock that rose on the Nifty 500. All of the 12 NSE sectors declined, with Realty stocks falling 4.7 per cent and becoming the day's worst performers. IT stocks fell the least, slipping 0.2 per cent. Speaking nifty stocks, HCL technologies was the day's best stock with a 1.9 per cent gain while Shriram Finance was the worst as it fell 6.5 per cent. Technically speaking, yesterday's low came within a whisker of a trendline drawn from the June 4, 2024 crash lows. On the upside, immediate resistance is at 23067 followed by 23378. Support can be seen between 22220 - 22440. 

Talking flows, based on provisional data, foreigners withdrew 10414 cr while domestic players invested around 12034 cr. Yesterday was the 17th day of foreign outflows.

Hang Seng up 1 per cent, Kospi, Nikkei up 0.5 per cent each.

At the close on Monday, the total BSE Sensex market cap stood at Rs 4,15,21,629.82