Stock Market Highlights 5 March 2026: Sensex snaps 4-day slide to settle above 80,000; Nifty rises to 24,765 tracking global rally

Industryupdate

DEE Piping Systems (Thailand) Co., Ltd. has received a Letter of Intent for supply of HRSG piping for an International customer.

Industryupdate

Aarti Industries expands long-term deal with global chemical major, plans ₹250 crore backward integration

Aarti Industries Limited on Thursday announced a material amendment to its existing exclusive long-term supply agreement with an undisclosed leading global chemical company, deepening the partnership through a backward integration project worth ₹200–250 crore.

Aarti Industries expands long-term deal with global chemical major, plans ₹250 crore backward integration

Aarti Industries expands its partnership with a global chemical firm, investing ₹250 crore in backward integration to enhance manufacturing.

Industryupdate

Platinum deficit poised to continue for 4th year in a row, shortage may shrink 75%

Platinum will remain in deficit for the fourth consecutive year in 2026, though the shortage will drop by over 75 per cent, with the demand declining by 8 per cent, the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) has said.

Platinum deficit poised to continue for 4th year in a row, shortage may shrink 75%

Platinum will remain in deficit for the fourth consecutive year in 2026, though the shortage will drop by over 75 per cent, with the demand declining by 8 per cent, the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) has said.

Industryupdate

L&T Finance launches ‘Spoorthi’ to empower women entrepreneurs with specialised home loan and loan against property solutions

Stock market

Hindustan Unilever shares flat on the NSE at Rs 2,240. The company sold its entire stake in Nutritionalab for approximately Rs 307 cr.

Stock market

Sensex was up 262.65 pts or 0.33 % to 79,378.84 at 2.32 pm, and Nifty 50 traded 108 pts or 0.44% positive at 24,588.50.

Industryupdate

Aqylon Nexu partners with DataDirect Networks India to boost AI-ready data centres

Aqylon Nexus has executed a Memorandum of Understanding with DataDirect Networks India Private Limited, the world’s leading AI data platform provider explore strategic collaboration leading the development of AI-ready hyperscale data centres that will serve as the backbone of the nation’s digital transformation.

Marketup

Sensex, Nifty trade positive on Reliance rebound, Hindalco, BEL, L&T among top gainers

Equity benchmark indices traded in the positive territory in afternoon trade on Thursday, supported by a rebound in heavyweights such as metal stocks, L&T, Reliance Industries, and a rally in global equities, as risk appetite improved marginally after the West Asia conflict weighed on markets earlier in the week.

Sensex, Nifty trade positive on Reliance rebound, Hindalco, BEL, L&T among top gainers

Rebound in heavyweights and global markets improves risk appetite; Broader markets mirrors positive sentiment, as both midcap and smallcap indices trade with modest gains

Stock market

Should you subscribe to Sedemac Mechatronics IPO?

Sedemac Mechatronics (SML), a tier-I auto ancillary player, has its IPO open till Friday; subscription so far is 30 per cent. The ₹1,087-crore issue is a pure offer-for-sale, driven by investor shareholders (VCs, AIFs, life insurers) and a few individuals, while a couple of promoter/promoter-group investors sell only a small part. 

Should you subscribe to Sedemac Mechatronics IPO?

The IPO is entirely an offer-for-sale of shares worth ₹1,087 crore

Industryupdate

Embassy Office Parks REIT, India’s first listed REIT and the largest office IT in Asia by area, has raised ₹1,400 crores through a second 10-year Non-Convertible Debenture issuance this year in FY2026

Aviation

SpiceJet to operate 13 special flights from the United Arab Emirates on March 5 to facilitate return of Indian nationals stranded in the region

there.

Of the thirteen flights, twelve will operate from Fujairah and one from Dubai. 

The airline will operate seven special flights to Mumbai, five special flights to Delhi and one special flight from Dubai to Mumbai, providing additional capacity to help stranded passengers return home at the earliest.

On March 3 & 4, SpiceJet operated 12 special flights from the UAE, connecting stranded passengers to Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi.

Industryupdate

Equirus Capital, a financial services group, has strengthened its board by appointing Mitu Samarnath Jha and Alok Misra as Independent Directors on the board.

Info tech

Persistent Systems opens Melbourne Innovation Center to support enterprise modernization and AI adoption

Industryupdate

VA Tech Wabag closely monitoring West Asia operations, does not expect adverse impact

Chennai-based listed water technology major VA Tech Wabag, which has a large network of water treatment projects in West Asia, sees no immediate business impact and concerns from the ongoing US/ Israel-Iran war. The company is closely monitoring the situation and says its projects in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf nations are situated away from the sensitive zones, such as the US bases.

VA Tech Wabag closely monitoring West Asia operations, does not expect adverse impact

VA Tech Wabag reassures stakeholders of stable West Asia operations amidst geopolitical tensions, with no expected adverse impacts.

Industryupdate

MRPL shuts crude units amid supply crunch

MRPL shuts crude units amid supply crunch

One crude unit and certain secondary units at 300,000 bpd plant shut, sources say

Info tech

Coforge, Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech, Wipro, Infosys, TCS dip as Nifty IT slips, Kotak warns of Gen AI disruption risks

Coforge, Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech, Wipro, Infosys, TCS dip as Nifty IT slips, Kotak warns of Gen AI disruption risks

Nifty IT index drops 1.5% amid generative AI disruption risks, prompting Kotak to cut target prices for major firms.

Stock market

Markets trim morning gains by midday; metal rebounds, IT drags

Markets trim morning gains by midday; metal rebounds, IT drags

Equity benchmarks held onto moderate gains at midday on Thursday, though indices pared some of their opening advances as sectoral rotation kept the broader market in check.

Industryupdate

Transformers And Rectifiers (India) has appointed Mehul Shah as the Chief Financial Officer following the resignation of Chanchal S S Rajora.

Industryupdate

Markolines Pavement Technologies received multiple work order cumulative amounting to Rs.439.75 Crore

Shares traded at Rs 161.40, up 1% on the NSE.

Ipo

Sedemac Mechatronics IPO booked 0.29 times at 1 pm on day 2. QIBs: 0.87 times; NIIs: 0.06 times; retail: 0.06 times; employee reserved 1.12 times.

Industryupdate

State-Run Refiner MRPL Shuts One Crude Unit, Some Secondary Units At Its 300,000 bpd Refinery Due To Crude Shortage, Sources Say – Reuters

Industryupdate

Kavveri Defence & Wireless Technologies approved the allotment of conversion of warrants into equity shares, aggregating to Rs 22.20 crore.

Industryupdate

Aries Agro has inaugurated a relocated manufacturing unit in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh.

Industryupdate

DLF calls media report ‘misleading and sensationalised’

DLF has termed media reports titled “No Water, No Power at DLF’s Luxury Homes in Gurgaon, Supreme Court Orders CBI Probe” as misleading and sensationalised, clarifying that the project in question, The Primus in New Gurgaon, was developed by its wholly owned subsidiary DLF Home Developers Ltd and that possession of all 624 apartments was handed over in 2017 with water, electricity and required amenities in line with the occupancy certificate. The issue stems from consumer complaints filed by five allottees before the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, whose May 2023 order has been challenged by both parties in the Supreme Court. DLF said the court’s February 25, 2026 interim order only directs an inquiry while explicitly stating that no definitive opinion has been formed, and as the matter remains sub judice with no final ruling, it has no material impact on the company’s operations. The company also attributed the fall in its share price on March 4 to broader market weakness, including a decline in the Realty Index and global geopolitical uncertainties.

Shares surged 3% on the NSE to Rs 584.65.

Stock market

360 ONE Mutual Fund launches DynaSIF Active Asset Allocator Long-Short Fund

360 ONE Mutual Fund today announced the launch of the DynaSIF Active Asset Allocator Long-Short Fund, a Specialized Investment Fund (SIF) strategy designed with an aim to deliver long-term growth and income generation while aiming to limit downside risk through dynamic asset allocation and disciplined risk management. 

The NFO opens on March 06, 2026 and closes on March 20, 2026.

Commodities

Gold rates are rising today. here’s why

Gold prices remained elevated on Thursday, holding above $5,100 on COMEX as safe-haven demand continued to underpin precious metals amid escalating geopolitical tensions and uncertainty over US trade policy.

Why are Gold prices rising today?

Gold prices rise amid geopolitical tensions and trade uncertainties, driven by safe-haven demand, with prices holding above $5,200.

Info tech

Services exports gain ground as merchandise trade loses momentum

With services exports growing at a brisk pace and merchandise export growth stagnating, the value of the two exports is now converging. Merchandise exports have been pulled down by a decline in petroleum products exports, while growth in services is led by telecommunications and IT services. Read more here

Industryupdate

Ionic Wealth hits $1 billion AUM in 22 months, backed by AI-driven wealth model

Mumbai-based Ionic Wealth, a wealth-tech platform and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Angel One Ltd, crossed $1 billion in assets under management (AUM) on Thursday — a milestone reached in just 22 months since operations began.

Read more

Industryupdate

HEC Infra Projects, in joint venture with Advait energy transitions ltd, had received work order worth Rs.100 crore from MIS Dakshin Gujarat Vij Co. Ltd.

Industryupdate

Shekhar Swarup becomes the CEO of Globus Spirits

Globus Spirits informed that Shekhar Swarup, who currently oversees the company’s strategic vision, culture, and high-level operations, has been formally designated as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) under the category of Key Managerial Personnel.

Banking

South Indian Bank launches digitally integrated loan against mutual funds

South Indian Bank (SIB) today announced the launch of its digitally integrated Loan Against Mutual Funds (LAMF) offering enabled by smallcase’s technology infrastructure. The partnership allows SIB to extend secured credit against mutual funds at an interest rate of 9.99% p.a., in compliance with regulatory guidelines, to both its existing customer base and to customers of digital wealth platforms through its Lending Service Provider (LSP) network.

Using smallcase’s secured credit stack, SIB has built a native, API-led integration that enables an end-to-end digital journey for the user that includes pledging, disbursal and release of mutual fund units. With this launch, SIB becomes among the first banks to offer a fully integrated LAMF solution to its LSP partners, enabling digital ecosystems and fintech apps to embed secured credit seamlessly within their offerings.

Banking

State Bank of India inducts 5,783 Junior Associates to strengthen branch banking services nationwide

Stock market

Edelweiss Financial Services announces the public issue of Secured Redeemable Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs)

Edelweiss Financial Services Limited (“EFSL”/ “Company”), announced the public issue of Secured Redeemable Non-Convertible Debentures (“NCDs”) of the face value of ₹1,000 each for an amount up to ₹1,750 million (“Base Issue Size”) with a green shoe option of up to ₹1,750 million, cumulatively aggregating up to ₹3,500 million (“Issue Limit”).

The Issue has 10 series of NCDs carrying fixed coupons and having a tenure of 24 months, 36 months, 60 months, and 120 months with annual, monthly and cumulative interest options. Effective annual interest yield on the NCDs ranges from 8.64% p.a. to 10.01% p.a.

The Issue opened on Monday, March 2, 2026 and will close on Monday, March 16, 2026

Industryupdate

GAIL shares up 1% on the NSE to Rs 156.32.

GAIL’s long-term suppliers, Petronet LNG Limited (PLL), has issued a Force Majeure (FM) notice on 3rd March 2026 under its Gas Sale and Purchase Agreement. The notice has been served due to constraints faced by certain LNG vessels arising from maritime navigation restrictions related to the Strait of Hormuz during transit between India and Qatar, and as well as possibly due to reported shutdown of liquefaction facility at Ras Laffan. Further, QatarEnergy, PLL’s upstream LNG supplier, has also issued a communication indicating a potential Force Majeure event owing to the recent hostilities in the region. Consequently, due to supply restrictions imposed by PLL, the allocation of LNG quantities to GAIL under the said contract has been reduced to zero with effect from 4th March 2026. GAIL is currently assessing the situation with respect to any supply curtailment that may need to be imposed on its downstream customers. Notwithstanding the above, LNG supplies to GAIL from other sources/suppliers are currently unaffected.

Marketup

Bharat Forge shares traded at Rs 1,870, up 1.5% on the NSE. The company approved availing an unsecured Rupee Term Loan worth Rs 800 cr

Industryupdate

Silver Touch Technologies Secures Major AgriTech Transformation Project for CM-KISAN Portal, Government of Odisha

Shares gain 2% on the NSE to Rs 1,338.20

NSE

Stocks that hit 52-week low: Shree Cement, TCS, ACC, Godrej Industries, KPIT Tech, VMart

NSE

Major stocks that hit 52-week high on the NSE: BEL, Dynamatic Tech, Lupin and STL Tech.

Industryupdate

Granules India’s Packaging Facility in US gets FDA EIR with No Action Indicated Status. Shares traded 2% positive at Rs 566.75 on the NSE.

Industryupdate

Hindustan Zinc Limited signs MoU with Virginia Tech for Advanced Research on Silver Recovery. Shares flat on the NSE at Rs 595.35

Industryupdate

Dalmia Bharat Sugar’s CFO resigns

Piyush Gupta has resigned from the position of the Chief Financial Officer of Dalmia Bharat Sugar and Industries due to personal reasons. The Board of Directors of the Company has, in its meeting held today, March 05, 2026, accepted his resignation.

Stock market

Mirae Asset Investment Managers launches Mirae Asset Silver ETF FOF

Mirae Asset Investment Managers (India) Pvt. Ltd. has launched Mirae Asset Silver ETF FOF, the New Fund Offer (NFO) for the Scheme will open on March 05, 2026, and will close on March 18, 2026. The scheme will re-open on March 25, 2026.

Review

Quote: Renisha Chainani, head of research at Augmont, writes – Safe Heaven Demand revives precious metals pack

• Safe Heaven hedge – Gold and silver have rebounded from recent lows as safe-haven demand returned amid rising geopolitical and trade tensions. Gold has recovered about 5% to move back above $5200, while silver has risen nearly 10% to trade above $85. The move comes as the U.S. prepares to introduce a temporary 15% global tariff, replacing the earlier 10% levy after the Supreme Court struck down most of President Trump’s previous tariffs.
• Geopolitical Tensions- Geopolitical risks have also intensified, with the U.S.–Iran conflict widening, including strikes on Iranian targets and retaliatory missile attacks impacting regional energy infrastructure. The widening conflict has raised concerns over regional stability and potential disruptions in global energy markets.
• Dollar Strength – Meanwhile, after a brief phase of dollar strength, markets have shifted back to a risk-off stance. Higher oil prices have revived inflation concerns, pushing expectations for the first Federal Reserve rate cut to September, with additional easing anticipated in 2026.

Technical Triggers

• Gold continues to maintain a bullish bias, with prices expected to move towards $5250 (~ ₹165,000) and $5300 (~ ₹167,000) in the near term. Strong support is seen around the $5000 (~ ₹158,000) level, which is likely to act as a key buying zone on any corrective dips.
• Silver also remains firmly supported and is continuing its upward momentum, with the next upside target seen around $90 (~ ₹282,000). On the downside, strong support is placed near $80 (~ ₹255,000), suggesting that any short-term corrections could attract fresh buying interest

Marketup

Mastek Secures £85m Framework Engineering Contract with UK Home Office’s Migration & Borders Technology Portfolio to Scale the ATLAS Platform

Shares rose 4% to Rs 1,626.60 on the NSE.

Marketdown

Omnitech Engineering shares trade 8% below ₹227-IPO price after 11% discount debut

Omnitech Engineering Share Price: Lists at 11% discount on NSE

Shares of Omnitech Engineering Ltd made a weak debut on the stock exchanges on Thursday, listing at a discount of about 11 per cent to the issue price amid subdued institutional demand.

Commodities

Natural gas futures: Might slip to ₹245

Natural gas futures: Might slip to ₹245

Natural gas futures may drop to ₹245; consider short positions at ₹282 with specified stop-loss and exit points.

Stock market

Team India Guaranty’s preferential share allotment falls through as investors pay only 62% of consideration

Team India Guaranty’s preferential share allotment falls through as investors pay only 62% of consideration

Non-promoter allottees pay only 62 per cent; proposed acquisition of 4A Financial Technologies on hold; stock rises 7 per cent in trade

NSE

Nifty Bank Prediction Today – March 5, 2026: Nifty Bank futures: Faces a hurdle

Nifty Bank Prediction Today – March 5, 2026: Nifty Bank futures: Faces a hurdle

Nifty Bank index began today’s session with a gap-up at 59,008 versus yesterday’s close of 58,755. It slipped a little after opening and is now hovering around 58,920, up 2 per cent so far today.

Marketup

L&T shares rebound over 2% after sharp fall, brokerages retain buy with trimmed targets

L&T shares rebound over 2% after sharp fall, brokerages retain buy with trimmed targets

L&T shares rebound over 2% as brokerages maintain buy ratings while adjusting target prices amid geopolitical uncertainties.

Industryupdate

Steel Exchange India Ltd (SEIL) to Raise INR 350 Cr via Preferential Issue; IMR Group to Invest 300 Cr in the Company

Stock market

Yaap Digital shares are listed at 12.4% discount on NSE Emerge at Rs 127 from the offer price of Rs 145. At 10.55 am, it traded at Rs 133.35.

NSE

Nifty Prediction Today – March 5, 2026: Nifty futures: Intraday bias is positive

Nifty Prediction Today – March 5, 2026: Nifty futures: Intraday bias is positive

Nifty 50 began today’s session with a gap-up at 24,616 compared to yesterday’s close of 24,481. It is now trading at 24,560, up 0.35 per cent.

Commodities

Russian crude oil cargoes swing back to India as Iran war hits supply

Russian crude oil cargoes swing back to India as Iran war hits supply

Two Russian oil cargoes that had been signalling East Asia as a destination have switched to India, according to ship-tracking data, suggesting New Delhi is becoming more willing to take the crude as the Middle East conflict worsens. 

Industryupdate

Tata Steel clarifies on ₹11,000-crore Jharkhand investment buzz

Tata Steel said it regularly undertakes capital expenditure projects aimed at sustaining operations, expanding capacity, improving efficiency, advancing sustainability initiatives and enhancing its product mix. In clarification regarding a report on a proposed ₹11,000 crore investment in Jharkhand, the company stated that its board has approved or is deliberating on multiple projects across operational units, including those in Jharkhand, under its broader capital allocation framework. These include previously approved projects such as the 300 KTPA expansion of the Tinplate Division and the 0.5 MTPA Special Bar and Wire Rod-Combi Mill project, both originally cleared by the boards of companies that were later amalgamated with Tata Steel. The company added that several projects are ongoing and together aggregate to about ₹11,000 crore, while further investments related to technologies such as HIsarna and EASyMelt are also being evaluated, with appropriate disclosures to be made in line with regulatory requirements at the appropriate time.

Shares traded 3% positive on the NSE at ₹202.27.

Stock market

Rupee rebounds from all-time low, gains 48 paise to 91.57 against US dollar in early trade

Rupee rebounds from all-time low, gains 48 paise to 91.57 against US dollar in early trade

Rupee recovered from its lowest level and gained 48 paise to trade at 91.57 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday, tracking positive momentum in domestic equity markets.

Commodities

Crude oil futures rise after US-Iran naval clash

Crude oil futures rise after US-Iran naval clash

Crude oil futures traded higher on Thursday morning after a US submarine sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka.

Stock market

Geopolitical jitters, crude surge kept lid on Markets; Sensex, Nifty open higher on diplomacy hopes

Geopolitical jitters, crude surge kept lid on Markets; Sensex, Nifty open higher on diplomacy hopes

Markets open higher as Sensex and Nifty rise on diplomatic hopes, despite geopolitical tensions and crude oil price surges.

Industryupdate

Aarti Industries Limited (AIL) Shares flat on the NSE at Rs 415.

Aarti Industries Limited (AIL) today announced entering into a material amendment to its exclusive long-term supply agreement originally signed with Leading Global Chemical Company

Industryupdate

One Point One Solutions stock traded flat on the NSE at Rs 47.04

One MENA Holdings, a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of One Point One Solutions Limited, announced completing the acquisition of Netcom Business Contact Center S.A. (Costa Rica), Netcom BCC Colombia S.A.S., and related Panama Assets. 

Industryupdate

ICICI Lombard, on March 4, acquired shares of Rs 0.40 billion in Reliance Industries.

“The acquisition of shares is being made in the ordinary course of investment function of the Company. “

ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company traded flat on the NSE at Rs 1,863, and Reliance Industries gained 3% to Rs 1,385.

Industryupdate

Persistent Systems signs share purchase agreement with Aepona Group

Persistent Systems informed exchanges that a share purchase agreement for the transfer of the 100% shareholding of Persistent Systems Poland Spółka z o.o., Poland (stepdown subsidiary) from Persistent Systems Inc., USA (wholly owned subsidiary) to Aepona Group Limited, Ireland (wholly owned subsidiary) has been duly signed and executed

Stock market

BSE shares rise as SEBI allows launch of derivatives on Sensex Next 30

Shares of ​BSE Ltd​ rose about 3 per cent in early trade on Thursday after the market regulator​ SEBI allowed the exchange to introduce derivative contracts on the BSE Sensex Next 30 Index.​

Economy

Rupee rebounds from all-time low, gains 48 paise to 91.57 against US dollar in early trade

Rupee recovered from its lowest level and gained 48 paise to trade at 91.57 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday, tracking positive momentum in domestic equity markets.

However, higher crude oil prices, a strengthening American currency and intense selling of Indian equities by foreign investors amid escalating tension in the Middle East kept the local unit under pressure, forex analysts said.

Commodities

Crude oil futures traded higher on Thursday morning after a US submarine sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka.

At 9.32 am on Thursday, May Brent oil futures were at $83.72, up by 1.47 per cent, and April crude oil futures on WTI (West Texas Intermediate) were at $77.08, up by 3.24 per cent. March crude oil futures were trading at ₹7080 Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) during the initial hour of trading on Thursday against the previous close of ₹6937, up by 2.06 per cent, and April futures were trading at ₹6988 against the previous close of ₹6870, up by 1.72 per cent.

Industryupdate

Indian Energy Exchange’s monthly electricity traded volume up by 30% y-o-y

Indian Energy Exchange, India’s premier electricity exchange, achieved monthly electricity traded volume of 12,550 MU in February’26, marking a 30.4% increase on year-on-year basis. A total of 18.86 lakh Renewable Energy Certificates were traded during the month, marking a 15.2% year on year increase.

Shares up 1.4% on the NSE to Rs 120.27.

NSE

Top Gainers and Top Losers on the NSE

Top gainers: Adani Ports (+2.11%), Reliance (+1.81%), Coal India (+1.76%), Shriram Finance (+1.49%)

Top losers: Max Health (-1.05%), IndiGo (-0.61%), ICICI Bank (-0.56%), Grasim (-0.38%)

Marketup

Sensex gained 480.78 pts or 0.61% to 79,596.97 at 9.17 am after opening at 79,530.48 from the previous close of 79,116.19, and Nifty 50 rose by 143.60 pts or 0.59% to 24,624.10.

Stock market

Team India Guaranty Ltd defers preferential allotment

Board today deferred allotment of 22,48,270 equity shares (₹285 each) to non-promoters after receiving only 62.14% of the required consideration.

Acquisition also put on hold Proposed buyout of 4A Financial Technologies Pvt Ltd has been deferred alongside the share issue.

No impact on capital yet Company says it may revisit the proposal later; paid-up equity share capital remains unchanged.

Review

Quote: Devarsh Vakil, Head of Prime Research, HDFC Securities sharing his views on today’s market performance

Respite for Markets on Hopes of Diplomacy

U.S. stocks closed higher on Wednesday after a news report indicating that Iran had signalled openness to diplomatic talks, combined with President Donald Trump’s pledge to stabilise oil markets, easing investor anxiety over the escalating Middle East conflict.

Investors rotated back into technology shares, lifting the Nasdaq 1.29% and keeping the index in positive territory since the U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran that ignited the conflict. The S&P 500 held close to its all-time closing high set in January, further supported by encouraging U.S. economic data.

On the economic front, payroll processor ADP reported that private-sector employment rose by more than expected in February, with 63,000 jobs added — a sharp rebound from the downwardly revised gain of 11,000 jobs in January.

In currency markets, the People’s Bank of China set its official yuan midpoint at 6.9007 against the dollar on Thursday — 117 pips, or 0.07%, stronger than the previous fixing and the firmest level in 34 months — a move markets interpreted as an effort to stabilise the currency. Separately, Beijing set its economic growth target for 2026 at 4.5%–5%, a modest step down from last year’s 5% pace, leaving room to address industrial overcapacity and rebalance the economy without committing to sweeping reform.

Gold rose on Thursday as widening Middle East tensions drove demand for safe-haven assets, with a softer dollar providing additional support to bullion. The metal traded around $ 5150, holding near record levels, as the U.S.-Iran standoff kept investor caution elevated.

The dollar, after its recent sharp rally, paused on Thursday — offering temporary relief to a battered euro, as investors held to tentative hopes that the conflict may prove shorter-lived than initially feared.

Crude oil surged 2.80% to $76.75, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining effectively closed and disrupting roughly 20% of global oil supply.

Broader Asian equities tracked U.S. gains as sentiment steadied following the initial shock of the Iran conflict. South Korea’s Kospi Index rebounded more than 10% after its worst-ever single-session crash, in which it shed over 12% the prior day.

Indian equity markets are poised to open on a positive note today on the back of conducive global cues. On any rebound, the 24,600–24,800 range stands as a formidable overhead barrier.

Review

Quote: Shrikant Chouhan, Head Equity Research, Kotak Securities

Benchmark indices recovered sharply. After a sharp decline, the Nifty closed 385 points lower, while the Sensex was down 1,123 points. Sectorally, almost all major sectoral indices closed in the negative zone, but the metal index fell the most, falling over 4%.

Technically, after a gap-down open, the market remained in the 24,300/78,500 to 24,600/79,500 range. We believe the short-term outlook is weak but oversold. For traders, 24,300/78,500 will act as a key support zone. If the market sustains above this level, immediate resistance will be at 24,600/79,500. Above 24,600/79,500, it could move towards 24,800-25,000/80,000-80,500. Conversely, a drop below 24,300/78500 could change sentiment. Below this, the market could slide towards 24,100-24,000/78000-77800. The market structure is currently highly volatile and is expected to remain volatile in the near future.

Strategy: Buy Select stocks, which are fundamentally strong between the 24,300–24,000 range.

Review

Quote: VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited

“From the market perspective, the problem with an ongoing war is that sudden developments like attacks on oil facilities, can impact the market. If crude spikes, the market will be impacted. On the other hand, couple of days of smooth oil trade can trigger a risk- on facilitating a market rebound. 

It is important to note that India outperformed yesterday with only a 1.5% cut in the Nifty compared to the 12.1% crash in South Korean Kospi. Markets which did well this year like the South Korean market are facing huge volatility triggered by profit booking. 

Going forward, high volatility in response to news/events will keep the market volatile. This will give opportunities to investors to slowly accumulate high quality stocks and wait with lots of patience. Perhaps emotional intelligence is more important now than financial acumen.”

NSE

Sectoral Performance | March 04, 2026

NSE

Closing Bell | March 04, 2026 | Top Gainers and Top Losers on the NSE

Commodities

Gold gains on safe-haven demand as West Asia conflict widens

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Gold gains on safe-haven demand as West Asia conflict widens

Gold prices rise as safe-haven demand increases amid escalating West Asia conflict and a weakening US dollar.

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Stock market

Market Data | MARCH 4 – (provisional)

FII NET SELL Rs 8752 cr.

(buy + 19120, sell – 27873)

DII NET BUY Rs 12068 cr.

(buy + 26259, sell – 14191)

Stock market

Markets set to open higher, tracking recovery in Asia

TThe Gift Nifty futures were trading at 24,682 points as ⁠of 8:10 a.m. IST, indicating that the benchmark Nifty 50 will open above Wednesday’s close of 24,480.5. MSCI’s broadest index for Asia-Pacific ‌stocks outside Japan rose 2.6%, after sliding 8.6% over the past three sessions as the Middle East ‌conflict spooked investors.

The Nifty shed 2.8% in ‌two ⁠sessions this week to a six-month closing low, ⁠pressured by the global equity rout and a surge in crude oil prices.

Thursday’s rebound in Asian stocks followed overnight gains on Wall Street, after report that Iran had ‌signalled openness to talks to end the war and comments by President Donald Trump to steady oil markets eased investor anxiety over the conflict.

Stock market

Indian bonds may recover, bets of RBI buying turning stronger

Indian government bond prices are likely to open higher on Thursday, as worries about the impact of elevated oil prices are set ‌to be outweighed by rising speculation of central bank support through secondary market debt purchases.

The ⁠benchmark 6.48% 2035 bond yield may hover between 6.63% and 6.69%, a private bank trader said. The yield had ended at ‌6.6732% on Wednesday. Bond yields move inversely to prices.

Data from the clearing house showed that ‌an investor category comprising marquee participants such as ‌insurance companies, ⁠pension funds, corporates, and the Reserve Bank ⁠of India net bought a record 202 billion rupees ($2.19 billion) of bonds on Wednesday.

Industryupdate

Strait of Hormuz disruption: India may face LNG supply risks

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Strait of Hormuz disruption: India may face LNG supply risks

As one of the most exposed major Asian LNG buyer, with approximately 50 per cent of its imports sourced from Qatar and the UAE, India sits at the centre of LNG supply risk with the evolving developments around the Strait of Hormuz. If this continues, New Delhi is likely to face higher replacement costs for LNG corgoes, and the price-sensitive sectors may need to relook at their sourcing strategy

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Ipo

Moneyview Limited files DRHP for ₹1,500 crore IPO

Moneyview Limited files DRHP for ₹1,500 crore IPO

Moneyview Limited files for a ₹1,500 crore IPO, showcasing profitability since FY22 and significant growth in digital personal loans.

Info tech

ICRA upgrades Vodafone Idea to BBB, revises long-term loan outlook to positive

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Vodafone Idea upgraded to BBB by ICRA, outlook turned positive after AGR relief

ICRA upgrades Vodafone Idea to BBB and revises outlook to positive after AGR relief and fund raise, but flags high dues and subscriber churn risks.

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Stock market

₹16.32 lakh crore investors’ wealth eroded in two days as West Asia conflict intensifies

Equity investors became poorer by Rs 16.32 lakh crore in the two-day fall in the stock market after the conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran escalated significantly.

On Wednesday, the 30-share BSE Sensex tumbled 1,122.66 points or 1.40 per cent to settle at 79,116.19. During the day, it crashed 1,795.65 points or 2.23 per cent to 78,443.20. Since Friday, the BSE benchmark has lost 2,171 points or 2.67 per cent amid the onset of hostilities between Iran and the US-Israel since February 28.

The market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies eroded by Rs 16,32,428.12 crore to Rs 4,47,18,243.15 crore (USD 4.85 trillion) since Friday last week.

Commodities

Copper futures: Hold the short position

Copper futures: Hold the short position

Copper futures are expected to decline, suggesting traders maintain a short position with a target of ₹1,150.

Economy

Rupee slumped to all-time low of 92.05 against US dollar on surging crude prices on Wednesday

The rupee slumped 56 paise to close at an all-time low of 92.05 against the US dollar on Wednesday, weighed down by spiking crude oil prices in the wake of the Iran crisis.

Forex traders said the dollar index crossed 98 levels on the risk-off situation prevailing all around the globe amid the US-Iran crisis, further pressurising the rupee

Technicalcallbuy

Today’s Stock Recommendation: March 5, 2026

Stock market

Day Trading Guide for March 5, 2026: Intraday supports, resistances for Nifty50 stocks

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Day Trading Guide for March 5, 2026: Intraday supports, resistances for Nifty50 stocks

Discover key intraday supports and resistances for Nifty50 stocks with trade recommendations for March 5, 2026.

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Technicalcallbuy

Stock to buy today: Tube Investments of India (₹2,769.20)

The ​​stock of Tube Investments of India​​ has been on a rally for over a month now. It started the uptrend on January 28 on the back of the support at ₹2,170. On Monday (March 2), the scrip decisively breached a resistance at ₹2,650, opening the door for further rally.

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