Asian stock markets traded mostly in the green on Wednesday, buoyed by safe haven demand following CNN's report that Israel may be preparing for a potential strike on Iranian nuclear sites.

China's Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.2%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.5%. Japan's Nikkei slipped 0.2%.

US stocks slipped on Tuesday (20 May) as the tech-driven rally lost momentum.

Here's a table showing how US stocks performed on Tuesday:

Source: Equitymaster

At present, the BSE Sensex is trading 189 points higher, and the NSE Nifty is trading 44 points higher.

Sun Pharma, Cipla, and Apollo Hospital are among the top gainers today.

Eternal, Trent, and Adani ports hand are among the top losers today.

The BSE Midcap index is trading 0.1% lower, and the BSE Smallcap index is trading 0.3% lower.

Sectoral indices are trading mixed today, with stocks in the telecom sector and the healthcare sector witnessing buying. Meanwhile, stocks inthe  IT sector and the power sector are witnessing selling pressure.

The rupee is trading at Rs 85.59 against the US dollar.

In commodity markets, gold prices are trading 0.4% lower at Rs 92,975 per 10 grams today.
 

NHPC Q4 Profit Jumps 52%

NHPC Ltd on Tuesday reported a 52% rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 9.2 bn for the quarter ended March 2025, supported by higher income. The company had posted a net profit of Rs 6.1 bn during the same quarter in the previous financial year.

Total income for the quarter increased to Rs 26.7 bn, up from Rs 23.2 bn a year earlier.

The board of directors has recommended a final dividend of Rs 0.51 per equity share of a face value Rs 10 for the financial year 2024-25, subject to shareholder approval at the upcoming Annual General Meeting.

This is in addition to the interim dividend of Rs 1.40 per share already paid in March 2025. In April, NHPC commissioned the 800 MW Parbati-II hydroelectric project and 107.14 MW out of the planned 300 MW at the Karnisar Solar Power Plant.

NHPC, under the Ministry of Power, is the largest hydropower development entity in the country, with end-to-end capabilities for project execution. The Faridabad-based company has also expanded into solar and wind energy sectors.

Gland Pharma Announces 1800% Dividend

Pharma company Gland Pharma on Tuesday, 20 May, recommended a final dividend of Rs 18 or 1800% per equity share of Rs 1/- each for the financial year 2024-25.

The dividend, upon approval by the shareholders, will be paid within 30 days from the date of the 47th Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The record date for the same has been set at 14 August 2025.

Further, it posted a weak set of numbers for the fourth quarter of the financial year 2024-25 (Q4 FY25), recording a single-digit fall in the consolidated revenue and profit after tax (PAT).

Its net profit came in at Rs 1.87 bn for the quarter under review, as against Rs 1.92 in the year-ago quarter, recording a 3% decline on a year-on-year basis.
 

KPR Mill Promoters to Offload Stake

Promoters of apparel manufacturer KPR Mill Ltd - KP Ramasamy, KPD Sigamani, and P Nataraj - are likely to divest up to 3.2% stake in the company through block deals.

The total offer size is pegged at Rs 1,195.6 crore, with a floor price of Rs 1,107 per share.

For the fourth quarter, KPR Mill's revenue for the quarter increased by 4% from last year to Rs 1,769 crore, while its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) remained flat on a year-on-year basis, registering a 0.7% decline to Rs 333.1 crore.

The EBITDA margin for the quarter narrowed by nearly 100 basis points to 18.83% from 19.77% during the year-ago quarter.

The Tamil Nadu-based KPR Mill is a vertically integrated apparel brand and one of India's fastest-growing companies. It is renowned for its ready-made knitted apparels, cotton-knitted fabrics, and cotton yarns, making it a key player in the textile industry.
 

IRCON Bags KAVACH Contract

State-run IRCON International Ltd on Tuesday (May 20) said it has secured a Rs 2.5 bn contract from South Western Railway for the implementation of KAVACH, an Indigenous train collision avoidance system, across 778 route kilometres in the Bengaluru and Mysuru divisions.

The scope of the work includes survey, design, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of KAVACH equipment along with associated works.

The project is expected to be executed within 18 months from the date of issuance of the Letter of Acceptance (LOA).

The EBITDA margin stood at 7.7% in the reporting quarter compared to 4.9% in the fourth quarter of the previous fiscal.

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