Nifty Auto Rises 2% On March 17; M&M, Maruti Lead Gains After Recent 15.7% Fall

Auto stocks extended gains for a second consecutive session on March 17, 2026, with the Nifty Auto index rising about 2% in morning trade, recovering after a sharp correction earlier this month, according to Reuters.

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Auto Index Rebounds After Sharp Decline

At 10:24 AM, the Nifty Auto index was up 2% at 25,096. The recovery follows a steep 15.7% decline over 10 sessions between February 26 and March 13.

Despite the recent rebound, the index remains lower by 6.25% over the past week, down 10.9% over the past month, and about 11% year-to-date, according to Reuters data.

Broad-Based Gains Across Auto Stocks

Gains were seen across automobile manufacturers and ancillary companies. Mahindra & Mahindra gained around 2.9% and emerged as one of the top gainers in the Nifty 50 index. Maruti Suzuki advanced by over 2%.

Among other stocks, Exide Industries gained about 2.3%, while Ashok Leyland, Samvardhana Motherson, and Bharat Forge rose between 1.6% and 1.7%.

Eicher Motor Co., TVS Motor Co., Bajaj Auto, and Hero MotoCorp were also trading higher by up to 1.6%.
Broader Market And Volatility Indicators

The broader market also strengthened during the session. The Sensex was up around 480 points, while the Nifty gained 155 points. Market breadth remained positive, with advancing shares outnumbering declining ones, according to Reuters.

The India VIX declined over 7%, indicating easing volatility and improved risk sentiment during the session.

Price Hikes Announced Across Auto Sector

Stock-specific news helped the sector. Tata Motors is increasing prices by up to 1.5% across its entire commercial vehicle portfolio, effective from April 1.

Other automakers have also announced plans to increase prices. Mercedes-Benz India and Audi India have announced plans to increase prices by up to 2%. Hyundai Motor India has already increased prices. Maruti Suzuki is also considering a similar move, as Reuters reported.

The rally in auto stocks is an extension of the recent sector correction. Sector stocks have gained amid broad-based buying and lower market volatility.