Did Sensex and Nifty Close Flat Amid Mixed Sector Performance?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Sensex closed at 84,675.08, down 20.46 points.
- Nifty settled at 25,938.85, down 3.25 points.
- Gains in PSU banks, metal, and auto stocks offset declines in other sectors.
- Market sentiment remains cautious with selective buying.
- Immediate support for Nifty is in the 25,850–25,870 range.
Mumbai, Dec 30 (NationPress) The Indian benchmark indices concluded Tuesday's trading session nearly unchanged, exhibiting a slight downward bias. This was primarily due to gains in PSU banks, metal, and auto stocks being counterbalanced by sell-offs in IT, FMCG, realty, and pharmaceutical shares.
The Sensex wrapped up at 84,675.08, marking a decline of 20.46 points or 0.02 percent, while the Nifty finished slightly lower at 25,938.85, down 3.25 points or 0.01 percent.
Market analysts noted, “The Nifty has dipped below the 21 EMA, reinforcing a short-term downtrend. Immediate support is seen in the 25,850–25,870 range.”
“A significant breach below this level might exacerbate bearish sentiment, while resistance stands at 26,000,” they added.
Investor sentiment was cautious as they balanced sector-specific buying with profit booking in key heavyweight stocks.
Among the Sensex constituents, companies like Eternal, Infosys, Asian Paints, UltraTech Cement, and Bajaj Finance were among the biggest losers, negatively impacting the index.
Conversely, M&M, Tata Steel, Bajaj Finserv, and Axis Bank provided some support by closing higher.
The broader market also experienced slight declines, with the Nifty Midcap 100 index dropping by 0.15 percent and the Nifty Smallcap 100 declining 0.28 percent.
Sector-wise, real estate, IT, and pharma stocks faced pressure. The Nifty Realty index fell 0.84 percent, while the Nifty IT and Pharma indices decreased by 0.74 percent and 0.17 percent, respectively.
In contrast, strong demand was evident in PSU banks, metal, and auto stocks. The Nifty PSU Bank index surged by 1.69 percent, the Nifty Metal index increased by 2.03 percent, and the Nifty Auto index rose by 1.08 percent.
Analysts observed that the market concluded the day on a flat note, as investors engaged in selective buying, with sectoral trends driving activity rather than broad participation.
“New purchases at lower levels, coupled with short covering in banking, auto, and metal stocks following the expiration of monthly derivative contracts, enabled the Nifty to recover most of its intraday losses, leading to a largely flat close,” market experts noted.