After opening the day marginally higher, Indian share markets picked up pace during the second half and ended the trading session higher.

Benchmark indices continued their momentum, thanks to a rally in banking and finance stocks. However, gains were marginal as investors remained on the edge ahead of key figures from the US which might give them a hint on the US Fed's rate hike trajectory.

At the closing bell, the BSE Sensex stood higher by 74 points (up 0.1%).

Meanwhile, the NSE Nifty closed higher by 25 points (up 0.2%).

Bharti Airtel and Britannia were among the top gainers today.

HDFC Life Insurance and Tech Mahindra on the other hand, were among the top losers today.

The SGX Nifty was trading at 17,782, up by 23 points, at the time of writing.

The BSE Midcap index ended marginally lower. While the BSE SmallCap index ended 0.1% higher.

Sectoral indices ended on a mixed note with stocks in the energy sector and power sector witnessing most of the buying.

While the healthcare sector witnessed selling.

Shares of Bajaj Auto and ITC hit their 52-week highs today.

Now track the biggest movers of the stock market using the stocks to watch today section. This should help you keep updated with the latest developments...

Asian share markets ended the day on a mixed note. The Hang Seng fell 1.7%, while the Shanghai Composite index ended 0.3% lower. The Nikkei edged marginally higher.

The rupee is trading at 81.93 against the US$.

Gold prices for the latest contract on MCX are trading flat at Rs 59,985 per 10 grams.

Meanwhile, silver prices for the latest contract on MCX are trading down by 0.5% at Rs 74,596 per kg.
 

Nestle India Q4 results

In news from the FMCG sector, Nestle India reported a 21.3% YoY rise in revenue at Rs 48.1 billion (bn).

Net profit for the quarter came in at Rs 7.4 bn, up 24.7% YoY.

This rise was due to the robust growth of its confectionery and beverage products.

The FMCG major reported strong growth across all products in its food portfolio, including dishes and cooking aids. The growth momentum was boosted by market presence, media campaigns, and focused consumer activation.

Milk and nutrition products were one of the key growth drivers of the company, which registered a strong double-digit growth despite commodity pressures.

Company products like Milkmaid, KitKat, and Munch displayed robust performance. Apart from chocolates and milk products, Nescafe also registered strong growth by attaining its all-time high market share in the quarter under review.

Being an established player in milk and nutrition products, chocolates, and confectionary, Nestle India stands among the top FMCG stocks in India.

With a history of paying frequent dividends since 1997, Nestle India is one of the Top 3 stocks paying big quarterly dividends.
 

Sun Pharma's drug launch

Moving on to news from the pharma sector, Sun Pharma today launched the first dry eye treatment, CEQUA, in India.

CEQUA is the first dry eye treatment available in India that is delivered with nano micellar (NCELL) technology.

The prevalence of DED in India is higher than the global prevalence, and a large regional study pegged India's prevalence at 32%, of which 90% were affected with moderate/severe DED.

Sun Pharma has already received regulatory approvals from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and launched the product in the Indian market.

The company has also established a specialized field force to reach out to ophthalmologists across the country to increase awareness about the disease and its treatment.

Sun Pharma is one of the leading players in the chronic therapies segment in India. In the past five years, the stock has gained 84.7% and is a strong candidate among the 4 pharma stocks to watch out for potential multibagger return.

Increasing demand for chronic conditions and ailments will be the growth driver for Sun Pharma in the future.

If you want to bank on a specialty pharma story, Sun Pharma is your best bet.
 

Why Crompton Greaves's share price is falling

Moving on to news from the consumer durable sector, Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals share price fell almost 12% to hit a new 52-week low today.

This downfall was seen after the company announced the resignation of Mathew Job as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Director of the company to pursue other career interests.

Meanwhile, Promeet Ghosh has been appointed MD & CEO of Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals.

Ghosh's appointment, which is for five years, will come into effect from 1 May 2023 till 30 April 2028.

He was an investment banker for two decades and has worked with DSP Merrill Lynch for 18 years, where he helped build its mergers and acquisitions franchise.

In his new role, Khosla will provide valuable counsel and advice to the new Managing Director on strategic matters and support the integration of Crompton and Butterfly.

Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals is one of the leading consumer companies in India have two business segments - Lighting and Electrical Consumer Durables.
 

Why Zomato's share price is rising

Moving to news from the e-commerce sector, the share price of Zomato gained 8% today.

This rise was following a large block deal of 15 million (m) shares, or 0.2% equity of the company.

This was at an average of Rs 59 a share, worth Rs 882 m.

Recently, the company's more than 100 Blinkit stores were closed across Delhi-NCR as delivery executives protested a change in payment structure.

The stores have since resumed operations.

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