Market Opening Bell: Sensex, Nifty Open Lower Pharma Stocks Reel Under Trump's Tariff Shock

Indian stock markets opened lower on Friday, September 25, 2025, following overnight jitters from Wall Street after US President Donald Trump announced a fresh round of 100% tariffs. The move has spooked global investors and weighed heavily on sectors like pharma, while select infrastructure and steel counters managed to hold ground.

Sensex and Nifty in Red at Opening

The 30-share BSE Sensex dropped 203.67 points in early trade to 80,956.01, while the NSE Nifty 50 declined 72.3 points to open at 24,818.55. This was a weak start compared to Thursday's close, where the Sensex had settled at 81,159.68 and the Nifty at 24,890.85.

Broader indices also faced pressure, with the BSE Midcap slipping 131.69 points (0.29%) and the Smallcap index falling 168.47 points (0.32%) to trade at 53,204.41.

Pharma Stocks Take a Hit

The spotlight of the morning session was on pharma counters. Sun Pharma led the losers, shedding over 4.15% in early trade. Cipla and Dr Reddy's also slipped, as the 100% tariff announcement raised concerns about export profitability and pricing pressure.

Other laggards included Bajaj Finance, Asian Paints, HCL Tech, and Power Grid.

L & T, Tata Steel Among Early Gainers

Not all was gloomy, however. From the Sensex pack, Larsen & Toubro jumped 1.23% in early trade, emerging as the top gainer. BEL, Tata Steel, Adani Ports, and Bharti Airtel also posted gains, supported by investor optimism around infrastructure spending and resilient demand in the telecom sector.

Gift Nifty Points to Weakness

Gift Nifty, which serves as an early indicator for the domestic market, opened with a dip of 62.5 points at 24,896.50, compared to the previous close of 24,959. The trend aligned with the weakness seen in Sensex and Nifty at the opening bell.

FIIs Continue to Sell, DIIs Step In

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) extended their selling streak for the fourth straight session on September 24, offloading equities worth Rs 4,995 crore. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs), however, stepped in as buyers, picking up equities worth Rs 5,000 crore on the same day, cushioning the fall.

Asian Markets Mirror Tariff Jitters

The ripple effect of Trump's tariff announcement was visible across Asia. Japan's Nikkei 225 lost 300.93 points (0.61%), Hong Kong's Hang Seng slipped 152.68 points (0.58%), while South Korea's Kospi fell 90.25 points. China's Shanghai Composite index also edged lower by 6.97 points (0.18%).

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