Did the Sensex Close Flat While Nifty Made Gains?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Mumbai, Dec 23 (NationPress) The Indian equity benchmark indices concluded the trading session on a mixed note on Tuesday, as a downturn in information technology stocks exerted pressure on the market. However, support from financial, FMCG, and metal shares helped bolster the overall sentiment.
Investor caution was prevalent due to the weekly expiry of Nifty derivatives.
The Sensex ended its two-day winning streak, marginally declining by 0.05 percent to close at 85,524.84.
Conversely, the Nifty was able to extend its upward trajectory for the third consecutive session, rising by 0.02 percent, or 4.75 points, to finish at 26,177.15.
“From a technical standpoint, the Nifty remains securely positioned above the key support zone of 26,000–26,100, which continues to serve as a robust base for the index,” stated experts.
“Maintaining this position could sustain a positive short-term bias,” market analysts noted.
On the BSE, shares of ITC, UltraTech Cement, and Tata Steel emerged as the top gainers, spurred by buying interest in FMCG and metal stocks.
In contrast, IT giants like Infosys and Tech Mahindra, along with Bharti Airtel, dragged the index down, ranking as the top losers.
A similar pattern was observed on the NSE, where Coal India, Shriram Finance, and ITC were among the top gainers.
Meanwhile, declines in Infosys and Bharti Airtel dampened market sentiment and limited potential gains.
The broader markets displayed a mixed performance. The Nifty SmallCap 100 index increased by 0.37 percent, reflecting selective buying in smaller stocks, while the Nifty MidCap 100 index remained nearly unchanged.
From a sectoral perspective, the IT index was the day’s biggest underperformer, falling by 0.80 percent due to ongoing weakness in technology stocks.
Conversely, the media index led the gains with an increase of 0.84 percent. Metal, media, and FMCG stocks also closed higher, thereby mitigating broader market declines.
The Indian rupee remained stable for the second consecutive session on Tuesday, as year-end rebalancing offset losses.
“The USDINR pair is expected to consolidate between 89.10 and 90.30, with a trend reversal likely only on a dip below 89,” experts added.