Stock markets ended lower on Thursday after a volatile session, as early gains faded and investors booked profits following the recent rally.
The BSE Sensex closed at 77,988.68, down 122.56 points or 0.16%. The NSE Nifty 50 settled at 24,196.75, lower by 34.55 points or 0.14%.
Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said that the market opened positively but closed with a marginal loss on the weekly expiry day after a volatile session, as investors booked profits following recent gains.
“Markets remain watchful for clarity on the second round of US–Iran negotiations, which will guide the nearterm trend. A higherthanexpected WPI inflation print weighed on auto and consumption stocks, while IT stocks found support from improving confidence in clearer visibility on AIled demand,” he added.
MARKETS ERASE EARLY GAINS AFTER STRONG START
Markets had opened higher and extended the previous session’s rally, supported by hopes of easing global tensions and softer oil prices in recent days. However, the momentum did not sustain through the day.
Selling pressure increased in the second half, leading both indices to give up gains and end in the red.
The session remained volatile, with Nifty touching a high of 24,400.95 and a low of 24,102.80 during the day.
PROFIT BOOKING DRIVES DECLINE
The main reason behind the fall was profit booking. After a strong recovery in recent sessions, investors chose to lock in gains, especially in large-cap stocks.
This led to broad-based selling across key sectors, pulling the indices lower despite a positive start.
Among the Sensex stocks, Trent, Eternal, Adani Ports, BEL and Infosys were among the top gainers, rising between around 1% and nearly 3%. Larsen & Toubro, Tata Steel and TCS also ended with gains.
On the losing side, HDFC Bank fell the most among index heavyweights, followed by Titan, M&M, Bharti Airtel and Kotak Mahindra Bank. Stocks like Bajaj Finance, NTPC, Axis Bank and SBI also ended lower.
The selling in financial and heavyweight stocks played a key role in dragging the indices down.
Sector-wise, the trend remained mixed.
Nifty Metal rose 1.53%, while Nifty IT gained 0.88% and Nifty Media was up 0.59%. Nifty Consumer Durables and Realty indices also ended in the green.
On the other hand, sectors like Auto, Financial Services, PSU Bank, Private Bank and Oil & Gas closed in the red, reflecting selling pressure in key parts of the market.
BROADER MARKETS OUTPERFORM
The broader markets showed better resilience compared to benchmark indices.
The Nifty Midcap 100 index ended higher by 0.63%, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 gained 0.89%. This indicates continued interest in mid- and small-cap stocks.
Meanwhile, India VIX, which measures market volatility, fell 3.12% to 18.09, suggesting that fear levels eased slightly despite the volatile session.
The day’s movement shows that markets are likely to remain volatile in the near term.
While the overall trend remains supported by global cues and improving sentiment, short-term corrections due to profit booking are likely after sharp rallies.
Investors may consider staying invested and focusing on fundamentally strong stocks. Tracking sectors and stocks showing strength, even during weak sessions, could be key.
For now, the market appears to be in a phase where gains may come with intermittent corrections, making caution important in the short term.
