Indian stock markets ended the day with little change on Friday, as investors saw mixed moves amid weak global signals. After a volatile trading session, the benchmark indices remained close to their previous levels.
The Sensex, India’s main stock index, closed at 80,711 points, down just 7 points or 0.01%. It started the day slightly higher at 81,012, but saw ups and downs throughout the session. The index reached a high of 81,037 and a low of around 80,321. The main boost came from automobile stocks, while IT and FMCG shares faced some selling pressure.
The Nifty, India’s broader market index, finished at 24,741, up a small 6.7 points or 0.03%. Despite seeing little overall change, markets showed signs of resilience as stocks bounced back from earlier dips.
“Indian stocks closed flat, but investors stayed cautiously positive,” said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Investments. “Auto stocks kept gaining on hopes of rising demand, and broader markets performed well, especially mid- and small-cap stocks. Global cues also helped, as US and Asian markets moved higher ahead of the US jobs report, which influences Federal Reserve rate decisions.”
Top gainers among major Sensex companies included Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, PowerGrid, Bharti Airtel, Tata Motors, Bajaj FinServ, Tata Steel, Sun Pharma, and Axis Bank. On the downside, ITC, HCL Tech, TCS, Hindustan Unilever, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, L&T, Titan, Kotak Bank, and Ultratech Cement saw declines.
Sector-wise, the response was mixed. The Nifty Auto index rose over 1.25%, gaining 325 points, fueled by optimism around demand revival. Conversely, the Nifty FMCG slipped more than 1.4%, ending the day 811 points lower. Meanwhile, the Nifty Financial Services gained modestly, up 36 points, and the Nifty IT dropped over 500 points as investors remained cautious.
Broader indices like Nifty Midcap 100 and Small Cap also did well, gaining around 0.20%. Overall, Indian stocks showed resilience, with some sectors and stocks rallying despite global uncertainties.
Investors remain watchful ahead of key international events, especially the upcoming US jobs report, which can influence global markets and the outlook on US interest rate policies.
