Benchmark Indian indices ended the week on a weak note, as profit booking and sectoral divergences weighed on market sentiment. The S&P BSE Sensex fell 344.52 points to settle at 84,211.88, while the NSE Nifty50 declined 96.25 points, closing at 25,795.15. The broader market reflected mixed sectoral performance, with gains in metals offset by declines in FMCG, banking, and healthcare stocks.
According to Ashika Institutional Equities, the Nifty opened below the 26,000 level and faced consistent selling pressure throughout the session, eventually dipping below 25,800. The Bank Nifty mirrored this weakness, signaling broad-based selling across major sectors. Investor sentiment was further affected by comments from India’s Trade Minister, who reiterated that the country would not rush into trade deals under restrictive conditions, reinforcing caution among market participants.
Sector-wise, metals and realty stocks showed relative resilience, with Nifty Metal rising 1.03% and Nifty Realty gaining 0.18%. Nifty Oil and Gas also edged higher by 0.20%. In contrast, Nifty Auto, Nifty Financial Services 25/50, Nifty FMCG, Nifty IT, Nifty Media, Nifty Pharma, Nifty PSU Bank, Nifty Private Bank, Nifty Healthcare, and Nifty Consumer Durables all closed in negative territory, reflecting broad weakness in defensive and cyclical sectors.
Among individual stocks, Bharti Airtel led the gains on the Sensex, climbing 1.03%, followed by ICICI Bank with a 0.88% rise. BEL gained 0.84%, Sun Pharma added 0.63%, and ITC advanced 0.30%. On the downside, Hindustan Unilever was the biggest loser, plunging 3.20%, while UltraTech Cement fell 1.92%. Kotak Mahindra Bank and Adani Ports both declined 1.65%, and Titan slipped 1.57%.
Midcap and smallcap indices also ended lower. The Nifty Midcap 100 index dropped 0.24%, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 fell 0.21%. Volatility moderated, with India VIX declining 1.21%, suggesting a slight easing of near-term market anxiety.
The day’s performance highlighted a clear divergence across sectors, with metals continuing to attract buying interest amid global commodity price support, while FMCG, banking, and healthcare sectors remained under pressure. Analysts noted that domestic macroeconomic cues, combined with global uncertainties and geopolitical developments, are likely to keep investors cautious in the near term.
Overall, the market ended the week with a cautious tone, reflecting a combination of profit booking, selective sectoral buying, and investor attention on policy and trade developments. The upcoming sessions may witness further volatility as traders monitor macroeconomic updates, corporate earnings, and government policy announcements.
