Markets Rebound Strongly; Nifty & Sensex Recover from Previous Losses

Domestic stock markets gained heavily on Thursday. They recovered somewhat from yesterday's losses. The benchmark indices gained from the beginning due to mixed signals from global markets, India's negotiations with the US on tariffs, aggressiveness in bank and finance shares, and the arrival of foreign institutional investors. However, auto shares were shaken after Trump announced that he would impose tariffs on foreign cars. It is noteworthy that the indices are currently above the 100 dema level. In total, the Nifty rose by 105 points and the Sensex by 317 points.

The BSE Sensex, which closed at 77,288 in the previous session, opened at 77,087 on Thursday. It touched an intraday low of 77,082. It reached an intraday high of 77,747. Finally, it closed at 77,606 with a gain of 317 points. The NSE Nifty, which opened at 23,433, touched a low of 23,412 and a high of 23,646. It closed at 23,591, up 105 points. The Nifty Bank rose 366 points to settle at 51,575.

In the Nifty50, 35 companies gained and 15 lost. PSU bank, media, energy, oil, realty, PSE, commodities, CPSE, finance, bank, metal, infra shares rose. Auto, pharma, healthcare shares were under selling pressure. Hero Moto, Bajaj Finserv, IndusInd, Adani Enterprises, HDFC Life were the top gainers. Tata Motors, Sun Pharma, Eicher Motors, Bharti Airtel and Kotak Bank were the top losers.

Market breadth on NSE was evenly balanced between buyers and sellers. Out of 2978 stocks traded, 1382 gained and 1537 lost. 24 stocks touched 52-week highs. 325 stocks touched 52-week lows. 69 stocks touched the upper circuit and 198 stocks touched the lower circuit.

Rupee weakened marginally against dollar to settle at 85.78. Bharat Forge signs deal with Duma Engineering to set up joint venture in Spain. Nomura has given a buy rating to Ashok Leyland with a target price of Rs 250. JP Morgan maintains overweight rating on Hindustan Aeronautics with a target price of Rs 4958. BEML shares rose 13% on the announcement of setting up a mining equipment plant in Chhattisgarh. Adani Energy Solutions rose to its highest level in 18 weeks today. Macquarie has given an outperform rating to Trent with a target price of Rs 7000. Motilal Oswal has given a buy rating to HDFC AMC with a target price of Rs 4800. Gen Tech company has received an order of Rs 152 crore from the Ministry of Defense. Lupin, Zydus Life and other pharma shares have fallen due to fears of Trump tariffs. Bluestar is reported to be increasing the prices of room air conditioners by 4-5 percent from April. Motilal Oswal has given a Buy rating to Five Star Finance with a target price of Rs 900.

1. Thermax Ltd.

Thermax is a leading provider of energy and environmental solutions. With India’s focus on green energy and industrial efficiency, Thermax is well-positioned for long-term growth. The company is expanding its renewable energy and waste heat recovery projects, which align with government policies on sustainability. It has maintained stable revenue growth, and its order book remains strong. With rising industrialization and infrastructure investments, Thermax is expected to deliver consistent returns over the next decade.

2. IPCA Laboratories Ltd.

IPCA Labs is a well-established name in the Indian pharmaceutical sector, specializing in generics, APIs, and formulations. It has strong international exposure, particularly in the US and Europe. Despite short-term challenges from price erosion and regulatory hurdles, IPCA’s R&D investments and focus on specialty drugs should drive future growth. The company has been increasing its share in the domestic and global markets, making it a solid long-term investment.

3. Fortis Healthcare Ltd.

Fortis Healthcare is one of India’s largest hospital chains, benefiting from the rising demand for quality healthcare services. The company has been expanding its network and improving operational efficiency, leading to better profit margins. With increasing healthcare spending in India, Fortis is expected to grow steadily. Investors looking for defensive stocks in the healthcare sector should consider Fortis for long-term holdings.

4. JK Cement Ltd.

JK Cement has been growing steadily due to strong infrastructure and housing demand in India. With the government’s continued push for infrastructure projects and affordable housing, cement demand is expected to stay high. The company has been expanding production capacity, improving efficiency, and focusing on premium cement products, which should enhance profitability in the coming years.

5. Hero MotoCorp Ltd.

Hero MotoCorp remains India’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, but it faces competition from EV players and premium motorcycle brands. However, the company has been making strides in the electric vehicle (EV) segment with its Vida brand. If it successfully transitions into the EV space while maintaining dominance in commuter bikes, Hero MotoCorp could remain a key player in the long run.