Stock Market Today: Sensex, Nifty 50 End Lower; 109 Stocks Hit 52-Week Highs, 43 Touch New Lows

Mumbai, May 31, 2025 – Indian benchmark indices ended the final trading session of the week on a subdued note as both the Sensex and Nifty 50 closed in the red, mirroring global uncertainty and profit booking ahead of critical economic data releases. Despite the benchmarks slipping into the negative territory, underlying market activity remained dynamic, with a notable 109 stocks hitting their 52-week highs and 43 stocks plunging to fresh 52-week lows.

Sensex and Nifty 50 Wrap Up the Day in Red

The BSE Sensex ended the session down by 239.15 points, or 0.32%, at 74,592.34, while the NSE Nifty 50 declined 71.25 points, or 0.31%, to settle at 22,658.90. Throughout the session, indices witnessed volatile swings driven by mixed global signals, subdued corporate earnings in certain sectors, and anticipation around U.S. inflation data due later today.

Top Lagging Sectors: IT and FMCG Drag Indices

Among the key sectoral indices, IT and FMCG stocks bore the brunt of selling pressure. Heavyweights like Infosys, TCS, and HUL underperformed due to weak global guidance and margin compression fears.

Conversely, metal stocks showed resilience, supported by firm global commodity prices. Stocks like Hindalco, Tata Steel, and JSW Steel managed to offer some support to the indices, though not enough to offset broader declines.

109 Stocks Hit 52-Week Highs: Midcaps, Smallcaps in Focus

Despite a tepid performance from the headline indices, the broader market showcased impressive strength. A total of 109 stocks touched their 52-week highs on the NSE, signaling strong underlying investor interest in select midcap and smallcap names.

Some notable stocks hitting 52-week highs include:

• Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders

• Jupiter Wagons

• KPI Green Energy

• Welspun Corp

• Titagarh Rail Systems

The surge in these counters comes on the back of strong fundamentals, sectoral tailwinds, and growing retail participation in these segments.

Midcap and Smallcap Indices End Mixed

The Nifty Midcap 100 index edged up 0.25%, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 ended flat after a choppy session. Analysts attribute the rally in select midcaps to positive earnings momentum and favorable government policy cues, especially in sectors like defense, renewables, and infrastructure.

43 Stocks Fall to 52-Week Lows: Pressure Mounts on Laggards

On the flip side, 43 stocks touched their 52-week lows, primarily from the pharma, IT services, and microcap baskets. This includes:

• NCC Blue Water

• Suven Pharma

• Lasa Supergenerics

• Brightcom Group

• Shalimar Paints

These stocks have faced persistent selling pressure due to weak quarterly performance, governance concerns, or industry-specific headwinds.

Market Breadth Remains Positive

Despite the headline indices ending lower, market breadth tilted in favor of the bulls. On the BSE:

• 1,835 stocks advanced

• 1,586 declined

• 138 remained unchanged

The advancing stocks outpaced the decliners, indicating investor optimism in broader themes even as largecaps took a breather.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) Turn Net Sellers Again

Foreign institutional investors were net sellers for the second consecutive session, offloading equities worth ₹1,214 crore as per provisional data. Rising U.S. bond yields and fears of sticky inflation in the West have prompted FIIs to adopt a cautious stance on emerging markets, including India.

However, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) continued to provide a counterbalance by net purchasing ₹890 crore worth of equities, reflecting their confidence in long-term growth prospects.

Global Markets Mixed Ahead of U.S. PCE Data

International markets remained largely range-bound with traders keeping a close eye on the upcoming U.S. Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation metric. A stronger-than-expected reading may delay interest rate cuts, impacting global liquidity and risk sentiment.

Key global cues include:

• Dow Jones Futures trading flat

• FTSE 100 marginally lower

• Hang Seng Index ended up 0.8%

• Shanghai Composite fell 0.4%

Technical View: Nifty Below Key Resistance

From a technical standpoint, the Nifty 50 is trading just below its immediate resistance zone of 22,700–22,800. A sustained breach above this level is essential for bulls to resume upward momentum. Support on the downside is seen at 22,500, followed by 22,300.

Analysts caution that unless the index decisively breaks out on higher volumes, we may continue to witness sideways consolidation.

Expert Commentary

Anand James, Chief Market Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, said:

“The headline indices are pausing after a sustained rally, and this cooling-off was expected. The broader market activity shows continued confidence in midcap and thematic plays. Volatility may rise ahead of key global macro triggers.”

Meera Shetty, Fund Manager at Axis Securities, added:

“This mix of 52-week highs and lows suggests a highly polarized market. Investors are rewarding performance and punishing laggards with greater intensity. Going forward, stock-specific action will dominate.”

Key Gainers and Losers

Nifty Gainers:

• Tata Steel (+2.3%)

• Hindalco (+1.9%)

• Coal India (+1.6%)

• Adani Ports (+1.4%)

Nifty Losers:

• HUL (-2.5%)

• Infosys (-2.2%)

• Nestlé India (-1.9%)

• SBI Life (-1.5%)

Outlook: June to Kick Off with Volatility and Stock-Specific Moves

As we transition into June, market participants will watch out for:

• U.S. Fed commentary

• India’s GDP data

• Monsoon progress updates

• Q1FY26 pre-earnings sentiment

Investors are advised to tread with caution, diversify across sectors, and focus on fundamentally strong companies.

The Indian equity market closed the week on a soft note, but the surge in stocks hitting 52-week highs highlights underlying bullish pockets. With global and domestic uncertainties at play, selective stock-picking and technical discipline will be key to navigating the markets in the near term.