Sensex, Nifty end lower; IT, banks cushion losses

Mumbai: Indian benchmark indices ended lower on Friday but recovered from the day’s lows, supported by buying in IT, FMCG and banking stocks even as global equities remained under pressure.

The Sensex declined 120.83 points, or 0.16 per cent, to close at 74,781.76, while the Nifty fell 79.70 points, or 0.34 per cent, to settle at 23,398.10.

Among the Nifty constituents, Hindalco Industries, JSW Steel and Tata Steel emerged as the top gainers. However, weakness in several key sectors kept the broader market under pressure.

In the broader market, the Nifty MidCap index fell 0.26 per cent, while the Nifty SmallCap index declined 0.58 per cent.

Sectoral indices on the NSE ended mixed, with Nifty Metal and Nifty Realty emerging as the biggest laggards. On the other hand, Nifty Private Bank and Nifty IT were among the top-performing sectoral indices, providing some support to the headline benchmarks.

Experts said that despite the late recovery from the day’s lows, the domestic market remained weighed down by weakness in global equities and continued selling pressure in select sectors.

"While elevated crude prices, foreign outflows, and geopolitical uncertainty may keep volatility high, resilient domestic fundamentals and strong institutional support continue to attract buying at lower levels, limiting downside risks and supporting the medium-term outlook," market watchers said.

"The higher producer inflation and strong US economic data reinforced expectations of tighter monetary policy, pushing bond yields higher and sustaining FII outflows," analysts stated.

Meanwhile, the Indian rupee extended its downward spiral for a fourth consecutive session, logging its steepest weekly loss since May 15 amid surging crude oil prices and climbing bond yields.

"In the near term, spot USDINR faces resistance at 95.80, with strong support positioned around 95.15, paving the way for a phase of consolidation following the recent sharp upward surge," market experts added.

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