WEEKLY REPORT
Markets declined for the fifth consecutive week, marking their longest losing streak since August 2025, amid fading hopes of a near-term resolution to the US-Iran conflict, a sharp depreciation in the Indian rupee, persistent FII outflows, and rising crude oil prices.
During the week, the BSE Sensex declined 949.74 points, or 1.27%, to close at 73,583.22, while the Nifty 50 fell 294.9 points, down 1.27%, to settle at 22,819.60.
During the week, Reliance Industries recorded the highest erosion in its market capitalisation, followed by HDFC Bank, State Bank of India, and Bharat Electronics. On the other hand, Larsen & Toubro, Bajaj Finance, and HCL Technologies recorded gains in their market capitalisation.
Among sectors, barring IT (up 1%), all other sectoral indices ended in the red. The Nifty Defence and PSU Bank indices declined 4% each, while the Realty index fell 3.7%, the Consumer Durables index dropped 2.4%, and the Metal index shed 2%.
Among the broader market indices, all BSE Large-cap, BSE Mid-cap index, and the Small-cap indices slipped -1.1, -1.3, and -1.0 percent this week.
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) remained persistent sellers in Indian equities for the sixth consecutive session, offloading shares worth ₹24,596.46 crore. In contrast, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) continued their buying trend, purchasing equities worth ₹26,897.05 crore.
The Indian rupee weakened further this week, extending its decline for the fourth consecutive week. It hit a fresh all-time low of 94.84 against the US dollar during Friday’s session and settled near record levels at 94.81 on March 27, marking a sharp fall of 111 paise (1.18%) from 93.70 on March 20.
ECONOMY
India eases import rules for Chinese equipments
Government of India authorised some state firms including BHEL, and SAIL to procure 21 types of critical equipment from China, after easing restrictions. This comes due to supply shortages and project delays, especially in infrastructure and energy. This signals a pragmatic shift in India’s economic policy, prioritizing supply chain stability over geopolitical tensions. It could help speed up stalled projects and support industrial growth.
Global economy under pressure from the oil shock
The ongoing Middle East conflict has pushed oil prices above $110/barrel, triggering global market stress. Major US indices like the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite have declined sharply, entering correction territory. Rising fuel costs are increasing inflation and impacting consumer sentiment globally. Higher oil prices act like a global tax on economies, slowing growth and increasing inflation risks worldwide.
STOCKS IN NEWS
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles
TMPV shares fell over 2 percent over the week, after the Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover spokesperson said, “Due to a part supply challenge with a supplier, we are temporarily pausing production on certain vehicle lines at our Solihull manufacturing facility. We are working closely with that supplier to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and minimise any impact on our clients or our operations.”
Asian Paints
The shares ended 2 percent higher this week, despite the downfall on friday as Brent crude remained above the USD 100 per barrel mark, raising concerns over higher input costs and inflationary pressure, but the stocks recovered on other days as it was said that Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has agreed to negotiate with the United States and reach an agreement.
Sammaan Capital
Shares of NBFC Sammaan Capital (formerly Indiabulls Housing Finance) ended over 11 percent higher this week after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the acquisition of a 66.65% stake in Sammaan Capital by Avenir Investment RSC, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi-based International Holding Company (IHC).
RPSG Ventures
Shares of RPSG Ventures, owners of IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants, rose 40 percent this week, expecting the start of the most-awaited IPL, and as the $1.78-billion Royal Challengers Bengaluru deal improved the valuation outlook for IPL teams. Key factors driving investor interest in the league are a doubling in the value of broadcast rights.
Source – Moneycontrol, Reuters
