The Nifty 50 index delivered single-digit gains in 2025, but beneath the surface, individual stocks within the benchmark showcased remarkable divergence in performance. While the index itself posted modest returns, several heavyweight stocks grabbed attention through record-making runs, sharp reversals, and sustained consistency, ensuring stock-specific action remained the focal point throughout the year.

Top Performers Lead the Charge

Shriram Finance emerged as one of the standout performers among NBFCs, delivering a powerful comeback after three consecutive years of declines. The stock surged nearly 70% in 2025, marking its best performance since 2017 and representing the fifth positive year overall for the company.

Eicher Motors also distinguished itself as one of the strongest performers on the index, surging 51% in 2025. This performance marked the company's best year since 2014, when the stock had tripled. After experiencing only two negative years in 2018 and 2019, the automotive manufacturer's strong showing reinforced its position among top Nifty performers.

Banking and Traditional Heavyweights Show Resilience

HDFC Bank broke from its recent trend of modest returns, rising approximately 11% in 2025 and outperforming the Nifty index. This performance extended the country's largest private sector lender's streak of positive annual returns that began in 2015, with the bank delivering positive performance despite three of the past four years seeing only single-digit gains.

Reliance Industries reaffirmed its status as a market heavyweight, gaining about 27% in 2025 after a brief pause in 2024. This marked the conglomerate's best annual performance since 2020, with analyst sentiment remaining close to consensus bullish.

Notable Underperformers Face Challenges

Trent experienced a significant reversal after years of stellar performance, including doubling in both 2023 and 2024. The stock declined about 41% in 2025, heading for its first negative year since 2013. Despite this decline and multiple downgrades, Street sentiment remains largely constructive, with 17 analysts maintaining 'Buy' ratings and price targets ranging from ₹4,300 to ₹6,650.

Tata Consultancy Services faced substantial pressure, declining about 20% and tracking toward its worst annual performance since 2008, when the stock had plunged nearly 60%. The IT major's weakness reflected broader pressure across IT stocks and played a key role in capping the Nifty's upside potential.

Consistent Performers Maintain Steady Growth

Bharat Electronics demonstrated remarkable consistency, delivering largely positive performance barring 2018. Over the past five years, the defense electronics company has consistently generated healthy double-digit returns, including a gain of about 33% in 2025. BEL also emerged as the top gainer in the PSU index for the year.

Grasim Industries quietly delivered steady performance, with four of the last five years showing double-digit returns. Barring 2018, 2019, and 2022, the diversified conglomerate has consistently generated strong gains, maintaining its reputation for reliable performance.

Mixed Outlook for Consumer Goods

Hindustan Unilever found itself at a critical juncture, with year-to-date returns hovering around zero. This positioning is significant because HUL has not delivered back-to-back years of negative returns in the past three decades. After a 13% decline in 2024, the consumer goods giant's performance remained uncertain as the year concluded.

The diverse performance across Nifty 50 constituents in 2025 highlighted the importance of stock selection over index-level investing. While the benchmark delivered muted returns, individual stocks created substantial wealth or value destruction, ensuring the year remained dynamic for active investors despite modest index-level gains.

As markets prepare for the first trading session of 2026, investor attention turns to how bellwether companies will begin the year. However, historical data reveals that not all Nifty50 stocks have managed strong starts in recent years, with several prominent names consistently struggling on January 1.

Stocks with Consecutive Negative January 1 Returns

Six Nifty50 stocks have delivered negative returns on January 1 in both 2024 and 2025, establishing a concerning pattern for these market leaders. The affected companies span across various sectors, indicating that the poor performance was not limited to any specific industry.

Market Implications

The consistent underperformance of these six stocks on the first trading day of the year raises questions about their momentum heading into new trading periods. These companies represent significant market capitalization within the Nifty50 index and are often considered barometers of their respective sectors.

Sector Representation

The affected stocks represent diverse sectors including banking, automobile, retail, diversified conglomerates, metals, and fast-moving consumer goods. This broad sectoral representation suggests that the negative January 1 performance was not confined to any particular industry vertical.

Looking Ahead

As the markets gear up for 2026, investors will closely monitor whether these six stocks can break their two-year streak of negative returns on the first trading day. The performance of these bellwether companies on January 1, 2026, will be particularly significant given their recent track record.