Indian stock markets experienced their second consecutive day of decline on Friday, with both benchmark indices—Sensex and Nifty—finishing in the red. The 30-share Sensex slipped by 241.30 points, or 0.31%, closing at 77,378.91. During the day, the index traded within a range of 77,099.55 to 77,919.70.
Nifty50, the broader index, also closed lower, shedding 95 points, or 0.40%, to settle at 23,431.50. The day’s high for Nifty was 23,596.60, while it hit a low of 23,426.55.
In terms of sector performance, the IT sector emerged as the sole gainer, with the Nifty IT index surging 3.44%, driven by strong performances from major stocks such as TCS, Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech, Wipro, and Infosys. TCS alone rallied by 6%.
However, the broader market sentiment remained weak, with 36 out of 50 Nifty50 stocks ending in the red. The biggest losers included Shriram Finance, Adani Enterprises, IndusInd Bank, NTPC, Bharat Electronics, and Ultratech Cement.
The Nifty Midcap100 index ended lower by 2.08%, settling at 54,585.75, while the Nifty Smallcap100 index declined even further by 2.61%, ending at 17,645.55.
Among the sectors, Media was the worst hit, falling 3.59%, followed by Realty, which declined by 2.77%, PSU Banks down by 2.72%, and Healthcare down by 2.21%. Metals and Financials also remained under pressure, reflecting the overall bearish sentiment in the market.
Investors remain cautious ahead of key economic data releases and global market developments, with the upcoming week likely to bring more volatility.
