Markets displayed a muted performance on Friday, with marginal movements reflecting a balanced trading sentiment during the midday session. The Sensex inched up by 62.10 points (0.08 per cent) to 81,827.96, while the Nifty marginally gained 5.15 points (0.02 per cent) to 24,713.55, continuing the morning’s cautious trading pattern.
Sectoral trends revealed a mixed landscape, with auto and consumer-focused stocks emerging as key performers. Bajaj Auto led the gainers, surging 2.45 per cent, followed by Axis Bank at 1.91 per cent, Maruti Suzuki at 1.55 per cent, ITC at 1.35 per cent, and Titan at 1.34 per cent. These stocks provided support to the market’s overall performance during the midday trade.
Conversely, healthcare and IT stocks experienced pressure. HDFC Life declined 0.96 per cent, Cipla dropped 0.88 per cent, while IndusInd Bank, Infosys, and Wipro each fell approximately 0.80-0.82 per cent, contributing to the market’s subdued movement.
The broader market indices also reflected the cautious sentiment. The Nifty Next 50 index gained 453.55 points (0.63 per cent) to 72,940.60, while the Nifty Midcap Select index rose 24.80 points (0.19 per cent) to 12,960.40. The Nifty Bank index marginally declined 22.90 points (-0.04 per cent) to 53,580.65.
Market breadth indicated a positive undertone, with 1,975 advances against 1,092 declines on the BSE. Notably, 102 stocks touched their 52-week highs, while only 7 stocks hit 52-week lows. The market also saw 127 stocks in the upper circuit and 69 in the lower circuit, suggesting significant stock-specific movements.
Continuing the morning’s trend of foreign institutional investor (FII) interest, market participants remain focused on potential monetary policy signals and liquidity conditions. With trading continuing and the market yet to reach its closing session, investors are closely monitoring the evolving market dynamics.
The current market session suggests a cautious yet resilient approach, with sectoral rotations and stock-specific movements driving the trading sentiment as the day progresses.
