Mumbai, Jan 10 (NationPress) The Nifty has showcased a remarkable annual return of 10.51 percent, despite broader markets remaining relatively unchanged in December, according to a recent report released on Saturday.

The data gathered from the latest Global Market Snapshot report by Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund indicated that while short-term market fluctuations were inconsistent, certain sectors like metals and automobiles continued to excel over extended periods.

In December, the Nifty experienced a slight drop of 0.28 percent. Nevertheless, the benchmark index recorded an impressive gain of 6.17 percent over the past three months and 2.40 percent over six months.

The Nifty Next 50 slightly outperformed on a monthly basis, climbing 0.33 percent in December.

This index yielded returns of 2.24 percent over three months, 0.53 percent over six months, and 2.02 percent on a yearly basis.

Meanwhile, the Nifty Midcap 150 saw a reduction of 0.53 percent during the month but still achieved gains of 5.89 percent over three months, 1.31 percent over six months, and 5.37 percent over one year.

Small-cap stocks continued to struggle, with the Nifty Smallcap 250 declining 0.29 percent in December and posting negative returns of 6.25 percent over six months and 6.01 percent over one year.

The Nifty Microcap 250 faced a sharper drop of 2.46 percent during the month, resulting in losses of nearly 10 percent on an annual basis.

The broader Nifty 500 index decreased by 0.26 percent in December but finished the year with a gain of 6.69 percent.

Over the previous three and six months, the index produced returns of 5.00 percent and 1.08 percent, respectively.

Sector performance highlighted metals as the standout, with the sector gaining 8.5 percent in December and achieving strong returns of 29.11 percent over the past year.

Automobile stocks also fared well, increasing by 1.49 percent for the month and registering an impressive annual return of 23.45 percent.

Banking stocks remained stable, yielding gains exceeding 17 percent on a yearly basis, while IT stocks saw minor gains.

Conversely, sectors like consumer durables, healthcare, and real estate faced declines of approximately 2 to 3 percent in December.

The defence sector dropped 3.28 percent during the month but still recorded a solid annual gain of 19.30 percent.

Real estate remained under pressure, declining nearly 17 percent over the year.

Factor-based performance varied, with value stocks increasing by 3.1 percent in December, while momentum stocks fell by 3.8 percent.

Commodities, IT, and energy sectors provided support to the broader market, whereas financials, consumer discretionary, and healthcare sectors pulled the Nifty 500 lower.