New Delhi, Jan. 1 -- Indian equity market posted a record tenth straight year of gains in 2025, defying all odds as its benchmark Nifty 50 index closed the year with 10.5% returns, thanks to a smart 6% surge in the final quarter of the year.

The year was a volatile one as investors grappled with multiple challenges, like the lack of a trade deal with the US, which has imposed the highest 50% tariff rates in Asia on India, a severe downfall in the Indian rupee and a massive selloff by the foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) amid lofty valuations and a slowdown in earnings.

On the negative side, these factors pushed the Nifty 50 to post its worst annual performance against Asian peers in almost three decades. According to a Bloomberg repor...