Mumbai, Maharashtra — Indian equity benchmarks recovered from early losses on Monday but ended marginally lower as weak global cues kept investor sentiment cautious.
The Sensex closed at 85,213.36, down 54.30 points, or 0.06 percent. The Nifty also finished in the red at 26,027.30, declining 19.65 points, or 0.08 percent.
Selling pressure was seen in several heavyweight stocks on the Sensex, including Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Bajaj Finserv, Titan, HDFC Bank, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finance, Power Grid, and NTPC.
Gains were limited to a handful of stocks, with Hindustan Unilever, Trent, HCL Technologies, Infosys, and Asian Paints ending the session higher.
The broader market showed mixed trends. The Nifty Midcap index slipped 0.12 percent, while the Nifty Smallcap index outperformed the benchmarks, rising 0.21 percent.
Among sectors, auto stocks faced the sharpest pressure, with the Nifty Auto index falling 0.91 percent. The Nifty Pharma index also closed lower, down 0.4 percent.
In contrast, media and FMCG stocks saw buying interest. The Nifty Media index jumped 1.79 percent, while the Nifty FMCG index gained 0.69 percent.
Analysts said market participants remained cautious throughout the session amid weak global cues and uncertainty over overseas market trends.
“Persistent foreign fund outflows and a weak rupee have kept markets in a narrow range, with currency volatility likely to continue until clarity emerges on the India–U.S. trade deal,” market watchers said.
“Going forward, market momentum is expected to be earnings-led rather than valuation-driven. Investors are also awaiting key economic indicators, including U.S. CPI inflation and unemployment data, which will shape global liquidity expectations and the interest rate outlook for 2026,” experts added. (Source: IANS)
