The Indian stock market ended Wednesday’s trading session on a positive note, despite a cautious undertone among investors. The Nifty 50 at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) recorded a marginal gain of 4.75 points, or 0.02%, closing at 24,143.75. Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex advanced by 149.86 points, or 0.19%, to settle at 79,105.89.
The trading session saw the Nifty 50 move within a narrow range as it approached the monthly expiry, reflecting a largely sideways market. Large-cap stocks led the gains, though the broader market indices displayed mixed performance. The Bank Nifty index, however, declined by 104.55 points, or 0.21%, closing at 49,727.30.
Sectoral performance was varied, with IT and auto stocks outperforming, while metal and media stocks experienced declines. Among the top gainers on the NSE Nifty 50 were major IT players such as TCS, HCL Tech, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, along with BPCL. Conversely, Divis Lab, Hero MotoCorp, Coal India, Ultratech Cement, and Dr. Reddy’s Lab emerged as the main laggards.
Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services, commented on the day’s developments, stating, “A decline in WPI inflation, driven by lower food prices, signals that the RBI is progressing towards its price stability target. The IT index edged up, reflecting optimism for improved US CPI data expected later today, which could increase the scope of a loose monetary policy from the Fed.”
Varun Aggarwal, Managing Director at Profit Idea, added, “The positive closing of Indian indices amid mixed broader market trends highlights selective strength in large-cap stocks and sectoral performance divergences.”
The market’s volatility index, INDIA VIX, declined by 4.40%, settling at 15.46, indicating a reduction in market volatility.