MUMBAI– Indian equities closed nearly unchanged on Tuesday, with gains in auto and financial services stocks offset by persistent selling in IT and consumer goods counters.
The benchmark Sensex slipped 57.87 points, or 0.07 percent, to close at 82,102.10. The 30-share index opened little changed at 82,147.37, compared with the previous session’s finish of 82,159.97, and remained rangebound through the day.
The broader Nifty 50 fell 32.85 points, or 0.13 percent, to end at 25,169.50.
“The markets experienced significant volatility on the Nifty index’s weekly expiry day. The Nifty formed a high wave candlestick pattern on the daily chart, indicating a consolidation phase marked by trader indecision and a lack of clear directional conviction,” an analyst said. The index has strong psychological support at the 25,000 level, and as long as it holds above that mark, a rebound toward 25,300–25,400 remains possible, the analyst added.
Top laggards included Tech Mahindra, Trent, Ultratech Cement, Hindustan Unilever, Asian Paints, ITC, Bharti Airtel, HCL Tech, Sun Pharma, and HDFC Bank. On the other side, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finance, Maruti, SBI, Kotak Bank, Tata Steel, NTPC, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Power Grid closed higher.
Sectorally, the performance was mixed. Nifty Bank rose 225 points (0.41 percent), Nifty Financial Services gained 31 points (0.12 percent), and Nifty Auto advanced 167 points (0.62 percent). In contrast, Nifty FMCG shed 725 points (1.29 percent) and Nifty IT fell 251 points (0.71 percent).
Broader indices also came under pressure. Nifty Smallcap 100 lost 97 points (0.53 percent), Nifty Midcap 100 dropped 202 points (0.35 percent), and Nifty 100 declined 48 points (0.19 percent).
Analysts said the flat finish reflected continued consolidation in the market, with traders cautious ahead of the festival season. Autos, metals, and financials gained on expectations of strong demand following recent GST cuts, while FMCG and realty shares faced profit-taking. (Source: IANS)
