Sensex rises nearly 4% in April on FII inflows, monsoon hopes, and trade optimism

The BSE Sensex gave significant returns, increasing nearly 4 per cent in April, despite geopolitical tensions. The upturn was driven by renewed foreign investment inflows, forecasts of above-normal monsoon rainfall, and positive prospects of an India-US trade agreement. Additionally, stock valuations became more attractive following recent market corrections, leading to increased buying activity.
The BSE Sensex benchmark rose by 2,827.32 points (3.65 per cent), while the NSE Nifty climbed 814.85 points (3.46 per cent) during the month.
During April, the total market capitalisation expanded by Rs 10.37 lakh crore, reaching Rs 4,23,24,763.25 crore (approximately $4.98 trillion).
This marked the second straight month of gains for the benchmark indices. In March, the Sensex surged 4,216.82 points (5.76 per cent), while the Nifty advanced 1,394.65 points (6.30 per cent).
The rally was supported by easing tariff concerns, progress on India-US trade discussions, and a turnaround in foreign institutional investor (FII) activity.
“The Indian stock market’s resilience and sharp rally in April, despite global concerns and tensions with Pakistan, could be attributed to several supporting factors. The market correction over the past few months helped ease valuations, previously a key concern for investors, thereby reviving buying activity,” said Puneet Singhania, Director at Master Trust Group.
He added that the US announcement of a temporary pause on tariffs and signs of renewed trade negotiations contributed to the relief rally. “After prolonged selling, FIIs turned net buyers of Indian equities in April,” he noted.
The Reserve Bank of India also played a role in lifting sentiment. On April 9, the RBI cut the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6 per cent—its second consecutive reduction—and shifted its policy stance from “neutral” to “accommodative.” The Monetary Policy Committee’s decision was unanimous, aimed at supporting growth amid global uncertainty.
The US had implemented comprehensive reciprocal tariffs on April 2, including a 10 per cent baseline duty and 25 per cent levies on steel, aluminium, and auto components. However, a 90-day suspension of broader tariffs (excluding China and Hong Kong) until July 9 helped ease investor anxiety.
V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, said: “The surprising resilience of the market is significant. After the reciprocal tariff tantrums and heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, the Nifty ended April in the green. This underscores the importance of not panicking during a crisis.”
Looking ahead, analysts say the sustainability of the current rally will depend on Q4 corporate earnings and global cues, especially from the US markets, which influence sentiment across emerging markets like India.
Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit, added: “Momentum is being capped by rising tensions between India and Pakistan and muted Q4 results. This negative bias may persist in the short term, but the long-term outlook remains positive given the minimal financial impact from the conflict.”