MUMBAI— The Indian stock market closed nearly flat on Tuesday as investors reacted cautiously ahead of the looming August 1 deadline for a potential U.S.-India trade deal. Mixed earnings reports and global uncertainty led to profit booking and range-bound trading.
The BSE Sensex ended the day at 82,186.81, down just 13.53 points or 0.02%. The 30-share index opened higher at 82,527.27 but remained volatile throughout the session, weighed down by losses in heavyweights such as Reliance Industries, State Bank of India, Tata Motors, and Larsen & Toubro.
The NSE Nifty also slipped, closing 29.80 points lower at 25,060.90, down 0.12%.
Market analysts noted that quarterly earnings and global trade developments were key drivers of investor sentiment. “The broader mood is cautious as participants digest company-specific earnings and await clarity on international trade talks,” said Ashika Institutional Equities.
Among the top losers on the Sensex were Tata Motors, Reliance, SBI, ITC, UltraTech Cement, L&T, Infosys, HCL Tech, and Sun Pharma. On the other hand, top gainers included Eicher Motors, Titan, Bharat Electronics (BEL), Hindustan Unilever, Maruti Suzuki, and Mahindra & Mahindra.
On the Nifty50, 33 stocks declined, 16 advanced, and 1 remained unchanged.
Sector-wise, Nifty Bank, Nifty FMCG, and Nifty IT closed in the red, while Nifty Financial Services ended flat. Broader indices mirrored the cautious tone: Nifty Midcap 100 dropped 364 points (0.61%), Nifty 100 declined by 41 points, and Nifty Smallcap 100 fell 64 points (0.34%).
The Indian rupee also weakened slightly, trading 0.08% lower at 86.36 against the U.S. dollar. The dollar index hovered near 97.86, holding firm ahead of a key speech by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
“Traders are closely watching Powell’s remarks, which could shift global currency dynamics. We expect the rupee to stay within a range of ₹85.75–₹86.60,” said Jateen Trivedi of LKP Securities.
Investor enthusiasm seen late last week faded as the critical August 1 deadline approaches. “The upside in Q1 earnings will be crucial to justify current premium valuations. While foreign institutional investors (FIIs) continue to book profits, steady inflows from domestic institutional investors (DIIs) could help maintain a narrow trading band with a positive tilt,” said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services. (Source: IANS)
