Stock Market Today | Sensex, Nifty end flat; HUL drags FMCG, energy stocks gain

Nifty50 ended at 24,632, while the Sensex closed near 80,589. Here are the key takeaways from the stock market today.

India's stock market recorded its longest daily losing streak in nearly seven months, as weakness in private banks outweighed gains in energy stocks.

The Bombay Stock Exchange building on Dalal Street, South Mumbai.(PTI)

The Nifty 50 fell 0.08% to 24,634.90 points, while the BSE Sensex also shed 0.08% to 80,364.94 — the seventh straight session of declines. Ten out of the 16 major indices advanced.

“Investors are cautious in a holiday-shortened week and on persistent foreign selling,” Vinod Nair, head of research at Geojit Investments, told Reuters. Uncertainty over the India-US trade deal and sustained pressure on IT and pharma stocks remain near-term drags, he said.

1. Energy leads the pack

Oil and gas stocks were the standout performers. Oil India Ltd. advanced after reports of fresh exploration successes and stronger operational commentary, helping the sector buck the broader trend. BPCL, HPCL and Indian Oil rose 4.2%, 4.6% and 2.9%, respectively.

2. HUL drags FMCG lower

Besides Oil India, Wockhardt was among notable gainers in the mid-cap space. On the losing side, HUL and IT majors like Tech Mahindra and Infosys ended weaker.

7. Broader market trend

Small-cap and mid-cap indices showed more volatility than the benchmarks, with investors rotating into select PSU and energy counters, but at the end of the day, small-caps were little changed while mid-caps rose about 0.3%.

Market breadth was balanced, with advances and declines almost even on the NSE. The India VIX held steady, indicating no spike in volatility.

8. RBI Monetary Policy

Traders will now watch out for cues from the Reserve Bank of India, upcoming FII flow trends, and global macroeconomic data.

Private banks slipped 0.3%, with Axis Bank dropping 1.9% after Citi Research flagged near-term pressure on net interest margins. Investors are awaiting the monetary policy decision, due on Wednesday, with nearly three-quarters of economists in a Reuters poll expecting rates to remain unchanged.

Technical charts suggest immediate support for the Nifty 50 at 24,600, while resistance lies near 24,750. For the Sensex, the key range to watch is 80,250–80,900.