NIFTY Realty, Media rise up to 8%: Here’s how major sectors performed this week

Stock markets rebounded around 4% this week following the resumption of buying by foreign investors. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) turning buyers have also given confidence to retail investors, who restarted buying in the broader market. While benchmark indices rallied around 4% major sectoral indices advanced up to 8%.

On a weekly basis, all the sectoral indices closed with gains. Rate-sensitive realty and auto shares led gains this week with growing expectations of rate cuts this year by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) after the US Federal Reserve kept the interest rates unchanged.

NIFTY Realty

Rate-sensitive realty shares rallied this week, taking the sectoral index higher by 8% this week following growing hopes of easing policy rates. The rally was led by gains in key stocks such as DLF, Raymond, Macrotech, Phoenix Mills and Godrej Properties. FII buying and a short-term pullback after a period of underperformance helped in the recovery.

Raymond shares rose the most by 21% this week among realty shares. The company announced the resignation of Non-Executive Director Nawaz Singhania, estranged wife of company chairman Gautam Hari Singhania, due to personal reasons.

NIFTY Media

Media shares also rallied nearly 8% this week amid renewed buying by foreign portfolio investors. According to market reports, media entertainment & publication shares attracted FPI inflows of ₹143 crore in the first half of March 2025. Network18 Media, Sun TV Network, Tips Industries and Den Network were among the major movers.

Network18 Media & Investment gained the most by 14%, among NIFTY Media constituents, this week.

NIFTY Auto

Rate-sensitive auto shares picked up momentum this week after the FII sellout in the first half, taking the NIFTY Auto higher by 6%.

According to reports, the auto sector saw FPI outflows of over ₹3,500 crore in the first half of March. Bottom-fishing by investors at attractive lower levels this week led to sharp gains in auto shares. Rate cut hopes also bolstered the sentiment.

Bharat Forge rallied over 13% this week to emerge as the lead gainer among index components. The stock gained after the central government approved a ₹7,000 crore order for buying locally-made advanced towed artillery gun systems (ATAGS). Bharat Forge will supply around 60% of the order while the rest 60% by Tata Advanced Systems Limited.

In addition to NIFTY Auto, NIFTY Pharma, PSU Bank and Finance Services indices also surged around 6% this week. Among pharma shares, Dr Reddy’s, Mankind Pharma, J B Chemicals and IPCA Labs were major gainers. Regulatory approvals received by some pharma companies also boosted market sentiment.

NIFTY Bank, Oil & Gas and Consumer Durables indices rallied 5% this week amid FII buying.

Among Oil & Gas shares, HPCL, GAIL, BPCL and Petronet LNG were lead gainers this week amid the passage of a law by Parliament that provides policy stability to investors and decriminalises provisions.