Mumbai— The Indian stock market ended in positive territory on Wednesday after a choppy session, with the Sensex gaining 123.42 points, or 0.15%, to close at 82,515.14, and the Nifty rising 37.15 points to settle at 25,141.40.
While the benchmark indices posted modest gains, selling pressure persisted in broader markets. The Nifty Midcap 100 fell 0.49% to 59,388.15, and the Nifty Smallcap 100 declined 0.53% to 18,798.75.
Sectoral performance was mixed. IT, auto, pharma, realty, and energy led the gains, while PSU banks, financials, FMCG, metal, and media stocks ended in the red.
Among the top performers on the Sensex were HCL Tech, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Bajaj Finserv, Tata Motors, Zomato, ICICI Bank, UltraTech Cement, and Titan. On the downside, Power Grid, IndusInd Bank, Nestle, HUL, and HDFC Bank weighed on the index.
Market sentiment remained cautious, with the Nifty fluctuating throughout the day. “Support is seen at 24,850. If the index holds above this level, it could target 25,350 in the near term,” said Rupak De, Senior Technical Analyst at LKP Securities.
Analysts noted continued profit-booking in mid- and small-cap stocks, driven by high valuations. However, strength in large-cap names and investor preference for companies with stable earnings helped cushion broader market declines.
Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services, highlighted momentum in auto stocks driven by improved monthly sales, and renewed optimism for IT stocks amid hopes of easing U.S.-China trade tensions.
With no clear market direction following recent gains, investors are awaiting key macroeconomic data, including U.S. inflation figures, which are expected to show a slight rise due to recent tariff hikes.
The Indian rupee also saw modest gains, strengthening by 0.10 to close at 85.44 against the U.S. dollar. Analysts expect the currency to trade in a range between 85.25 and 85.85, supported by sustained foreign and domestic institutional investor activity. (Source: IANS)
