Stock market today: BSE Sensex ends over 300 points up; Nifty50 below 24,250

Stock market today: Indian stock market indices declined on Thursday as investors booked profits following a seven-day upward trend, with Hindustan Unilever's disappointing results affecting sentiment.The decline was further influenced by selling in ICICI Bank, Bharti Airtel shares and subdued performance in Asian and European markets.
The BSE Sensex fell 315.06 points (0.39%) to close at 79,801.43, after dropping to 79,724.55 during trading. The NSE Nifty decreased by 82.25 points (0.34%) to 24,246.70.
The previous seven sessions had seen substantial gains, with the Sensex rising 6,269.34 points (8.48%) and Nifty advancing 1,929.8 points (8.61%).
HUL shares declined 4% following its report of 3.35% lower consolidated net profit at Rs 2,475 crore for the quarter ending March 31, 2025. Other major decliners included Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank, Eternal, Mahindra & Mahindra, and several banking stocks.
Nestle India reported a 6.5% reduction in consolidated net profit at Rs 873.46 crore for March quarter FY25, citing food inflation and slower urban consumption. However, IndusInd Bank, UltraTech Cement, and Tata Motors showed positive performance.
Market analysts noted profit-booking in domestic markets while global markets faced pressure due to US-China trade tensions. The FMCG sector underperformed due to weak quarterly results.
Asian markets showed mixed results, with declines in South Korea and Hong Kong, while Japan and Shanghai finished higher. European markets traded lower, contrasting with strong gains in US markets on Wednesday.
Brent crude oil slightly decreased by 0.03% to USD 66.10 per barrel. FIIs remained positive, purchasing equities worth Rs 3,332.93 crore on Wednesday.
The previous session had seen the BSE benchmark rise by 520.90 points to 80,116.49, while Nifty gained 161.70 points to reach 24,328.95.