Indian benchmark indices ended flat in the volatile session. At the closing bell, the BSE Sensex closed 33 points, or 0.04 percent higher at 81,086. The NSE Nifty up by 11 points, or 0.05 percent to close at 24,823. In the Indian Bullion Market, 24 Karat Gold was trading at 71,700 Rupees per 10 Grams, Silver was trading at 84,890 Rupees per KG. In the Global Crude Market, Brent Crude was trading at 78 dollars and 57 cents per barrel, when report last came in.
During Friday’s trading hours, approximately 1,810 shares advanced, while 1,603 shares declined, with 68 shares remaining unchanged. The top gainers on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) included Bajaj Auto, Coal India, Tata Motors, Sun Pharma, and Bharti Airtel. In contrast, Wipro, Divi’s Laboratories, Nestle India, LTIMindtree, and Asian Paints were among the major decliners.
Ajit Mishra, SVP of Research at Religare Broking Ltd., said that the Nifty experienced a quiet trading session, remaining within a narrow range and ending the day nearly flat. “Market sentiment was cautious, influenced by a global wait-and-see approach ahead of the US Fed Chair’s speech at Jackson Hole,” Mishra added.
Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services, added that investors are exercising caution as they await Powell’s speech for further insights into the future of interest rates.
Sector-wise, the market displayed mixed results, with the auto sector posting gains while the real estate and IT sectors lagged. Broader indices also remained range-bound, finishing slightly lower. The India VIX, which measures market volatility, surged by 4.20%, closing at 13.56, signaling increased market fluctuations.
As global markets increasingly depend on India, the country remains under close scrutiny, which has helped maintain favorable sentiment in the face of challenges such as inflationary pressure and unemployment.