MUMBAI— Indian stock markets ended slightly higher on Wednesday after a volatile session, as easing global trade concerns and strong foreign inflows helped offset geopolitical tensions following India’s precision strikes under ‘Operation Sindoor.’
The Sensex recovered from early losses to close up 105 points, or 0.13%, at 80,746. The Nifty gained 34 points, or 0.14%, to finish at 24,414, reclaiming the key 24,400 level.
Sundar Kewat of Ashika Institutional Equity noted that the highest open interest for Nifty calls was concentrated at the 24,500 and 24,400 strike prices, while puts saw the most activity at 24,300 and 24,400. The put-call ratio stood at 0.98, suggesting balanced market sentiment.
Markets opened weak amid concerns over regional tensions but recovered through the day on the back of positive cues, including the finalization of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement and renewed investor confidence.
Gains in auto, real estate, and metal stocks supported the recovery. Tata Motors led the Sensex with a 5.2% surge, followed by Bajaj Finance, which rose 2.02%. Eicher Motors and Adani Ports each gained 1.41%, while Titan added 1.27%. Other notable gainers included Mahindra & Mahindra, Eternal (formerly Zomato), and Tata Steel.
On the downside, Asian Paints dropped 4%, the steepest decline among index components. Sun Pharma fell 1.95%, ITC lost 1.3%, Nestle India slipped 1.06%, and Reliance Industries shed 1.01%.
Broader markets rebounded sharply after recent losses. Both the Nifty Midcap 100 and Smallcap indices climbed around 1.5%.
Most sectoral indices ended in the green, led by auto, media, realty, and consumer durables, each rising more than 1%. FMCG, pharma, and healthcare were the only sectors to close lower.
Market volatility remained elevated, with the India VIX — often referred to as the fear index — rising 3.58% to 19. (Source: IANS)
