Indian Stock Market Today: Flat Opening as Strong Bank Earnings Battle Global Worries | July 21, 2025 {update}

But Reliance Industries spoiled the party. The company posted a massive 78% jump in quarterly profit. That should’ve been a win. Instead, the stock fell nearly 1.7%. Investors didn’t like what they saw in the retail and oil-to-chemicals segments. Revenue growth looked patchy, and margins seemed under pressure. The stock drop weighed heavily on the Sensex and Nifty, pulling both back after a promising start.

Other sectors didn’t help much either. IT stocks stayed in the red. Infosys and Wipro struggled to find any buyers. FMCG names were also mostly flat. No clear trend in small and mid-caps either. Some names popped, but nothing caught fire.

Global signals weren’t too helpful. Asian markets were mixed. Investors are still watching the India-U.S. trade talks. Nothing big has come out yet, and that’s making traders nervous. Everyone’s waiting to see what happens with tariffs and trade deals.

The Nifty Bank index held up better than most. Thanks to those strong results from HDFC and ICICI, the banking space showed some strength. It kept the market from sliding too far.

Back home, more earnings are lined up for later today. Ultratech Cement, Havells, Oberoi Realty, and IDBI Bank are among the key ones. Their numbers could shape the next move in the market.

As of now, this is a market looking for signals. It’s not running hard, but it’s not collapsing either. There’s strength in parts of the financial space, but heavyweight stocks like Reliance are holding things back. Add some global uncertainty to the mix, and you get a market that’s just not ready to take a strong step in either direction.

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So, what’s the mood? Mixed. This is a classic wait-and-watch zone. Traders are keeping things light. Investors are watching earnings. Volatility is low, but that could change fast if any major headline hits.

If you’re looking to make moves today, stick to stocks with earnings momentum. Stay clear of sectors showing weakness. Watch the news flow closely, especially anything tied to trade or global markets. The rest of the week could get more interesting. But for now, the market is just drifting—sideways, slow, and cautious.