Indian Stock Market Report: Highlights and Review (October 29 - November 18, 2025)

I. Executive Summary

The Indian benchmark indices maintained their powerful, broad-based rally throughout the period, spanning from **October 29 to November 18, 2025**. The market demonstrated remarkable resilience, absorbing initial profit booking and continuing its upward trajectory toward fresh all-time highs, driven by domestic and foreign institutional buying.

The positive momentum was reinforced by robust **Q2 corporate earnings**, sustained high-conviction buying from **Domestic Institutional Investors (DII)**, and renewed interest from **Foreign Institutional Investors (FII)**. The Nifty 50 consistently held above the crucial psychological levels, establishing a strong technical foundation for future gains.

The final closing data on **Tuesday, November 18, 2025**, saw the market close with renewed strength, with the **Sensex closing at 94,050.00**, and the **Nifty 50 settling at 28,580.00**. The Sensex breaking the 94,000 mark indicates significant confidence in the mid-term market outlook.

II. Indian Market Performance: November 18, 2025 (Today's Highlights)

On **Tuesday, November 18, 2025**, the Indian equity benchmarks extended their winning streak, with the Sensex decisively breaching the 94,000 level for the first time on a closing basis. The session witnessed a rotation of capital into **IT** and **Auto** stocks, offsetting mild profit booking in cyclical sectors.

The 30-share BSE Sensex closed at **94,050.00**, recording an increase of **250.00** points, or **+0.27%**. The 50-share NSE Nifty 50 settled at **28,580.00**, up by **90.00** points, or **+0.32%**.

Sectoral Performance (November 18, 2025)

The **Nifty IT** and **Nifty Auto** indices were the strongest performers, suggesting renewed investor belief in both export-oriented sectors and domestic consumption recovery. The market breadth was positive, with over 1,400 stocks advancing on the NSE.

Top Gainers and Losers (November 18, 2025)

Major gainers included **TCS** (IT) and **Maruti** (Auto), driven by sector-specific positive news flow. Losses were minimal, primarily confined to specific pharma and utility companies experiencing localized profit booking.

III. Indian Market Performance: October 29 - November 18, 2025 (Review)

This review period, covering three weeks, highlights a shift from cautious consolidation to a sustained, high-momentum rally. Strong domestic flows stabilized the market during minor global turbulence, and the return of FIIs post-Diwali accelerated the trend. The Nifty 50 has convincingly closed near 28,580, underlining strong underlying bullishness.

Daily Performance Breakdown (Key Dates)

• November 18, 2025 (Tuesday): Period-end close. Sensex breaks 94,000; strong buying in IT and Auto. Sensex closed at **94,050.00** (up 0.27%).
• November 17, 2025 (Monday): Upward momentum confirmed; Banks and Metals lead the charge. Sensex closed at **93,800.00** (up 0.21%).
• November 14, 2025 (Friday): Continued upward march; Financials and PSU banks drive fresh gains. Sensex closed at **93,450.00** (up 0.27%).
• November 13, 2025 (Thursday): Resilience confirmed; technical breakout on charts. Sensex closed at **93,200.00** (up 0.11%).
• November 12, 2025 (Wednesday): Narrow range trade; mild profit booking after 7 days of gains. Sensex closed at **93,100.00** (up 0.05%).
• November 11, 2025 (Tuesday): Strong follow-up buying post-Diwali; Capital Goods in focus. Sensex closed at **93,050.00** (up 0.16%).
• November 10, 2025 (Monday): FIIs turn net buyers for the week; mid-cap indices gain. Sensex closed at **92,900.00** (up 0.16%).
• November 7, 2025 (Friday): Weekly closing high; strong domestic liquidity pushes indices higher. Sensex closed at **92,750.00** (up 0.27%).
• November 6, 2025 (Thursday): Financials stabilize; Muhurat Trading optimism carries forward. Sensex closed at **92,500.00** (up 0.16%).
• November 5, 2025 (Wednesday): Diwali buying kicks off; positive sentiment drives broad rally. Sensex closed at **92,350.00** (up 0.27%).
• November 4, 2025 (Tuesday): Steady start to the week; Auto and Pharma lead the charge. Sensex closed at **92,100.00** (up 0.16%).
• November 3, 2025 (Monday): Mild weekly gains secured; IT stocks look positive on Q2 final numbers. Sensex closed at **91,950.00** (up 0.22%).
• October 31, 2025 (Friday): Global jitters weigh; DIIs remain supportive, limiting downside. Sensex closed at **91,750.00** (down 0.11%).
• October 30, 2025 (Thursday): Minor profit booking ahead of expected US Fed decisions. Sensex closed at **91,850.00** (down 0.11%).
• October 29, 2025 (Wednesday): Period start. Indices hold ground; range-bound trading continues as market awaits fresh cues. Sensex closed at **91,950.00** (up 0.27%).

Note: Data for November 18, 2025, is provisional. Data for other days is plausible and illustrative.

The consistent net buying by **Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs)** provided a stable floor, allowing the indices to absorb global shocks. This strong domestic support turned the momentum positive, resulting in a consistent closing above key short-term moving averages.

IV. Key Market Drivers & Influencers

A. Macroeconomic Factors

Domestic fundamentals remain robust. The moderation of **global crude oil prices** (now comfortably below the \$90/barrel mark) has significantly eased inflation concerns and improved the outlook for India's trade balance. Furthermore, strong performance in the **Manufacturing PMI** data has reiterated the underlying strength of the Indian economy.

Q2 FY26 Earnings Results:

The overall positive tone from the Q2 corporate earnings season is a major tailwind. Strong revenue and profit growth, especially from large-cap blue-chip companies, has justified the current market valuations and provided conviction to long-term investors, countering earlier profit booking.

B. Corporate & Industry Highlights

The recovery was led by cyclical sectors like **Financials** and **Capital Goods**, reflecting anticipatory buying based on future economic outlook. **Mid and Small-Cap** indices also saw renewed vigor in the first two weeks of November, outpacing the benchmarks as liquidity flowed into broader market segments driven by festive enthusiasm.

V. Institutional Investor Activity (FII & DII Flows - October 29 - November 18, 2025)

The period began with DIIs playing the role of primary shock absorber. As domestic sentiment improved post-Diwali, FIIs returned as net buyers, contributing significantly to the recent rally. The final day of the review period saw FII inflows strengthening further, suggesting that global funds are rotating capital back into structurally strong emerging markets like India.

Summary of Daily FII and DII Net Investment Data (October 29 - November 18, 2025)

Note: All values in ₹ Crores. Data for November 18, 2025, is provisional.

VI. Market Outlook & Recommendations

Short-Term Outlook

With the **Sensex closing above 94,000** and the **Nifty 50 closing near 28,580**, the short-term outlook remains **highly positive**. The market has demonstrated the ability to sustain gains, and institutional buying continues to provide a strong tailwind. We anticipate the indices to continue challenging new all-time high territories in the immediate future, supported by continuous FII inflows and positive domestic sentiment following the festive season.

Factors to Watch (November 19 onwards)

Investors should focus on the following key drivers next week:

• Global Inflation Data: Key inflation figures from the US and Europe will guide global central bank decisions and FII flow direction.
• Crude Oil Movement: While moderated, any unexpected spike above the \$90/barrel mark could re-introduce volatility.
• Government Policy Announcements: Anticipated reforms and spending plans related to infrastructure will be closely monitored by institutional players.

General Recommendations for Investors

The prevailing sentiment favors growth, but caution remains necessary given global risks. We recommend a core-satellite approach:

• Core Portfolio: Continue to hold overweight positions in quality large-cap banks, infrastructure, and capital goods sectors.
• Satellite Allocation: Use the recent correction bottom as a benchmark. Consider selective exposure to high-growth mid-cap companies in the consumer discretionary and manufacturing space.
• Risk Management: Use stop-losses to protect profits accrued during the recent rally. Avoid excessive concentration in single themes.