CHENNAI: Indian equity markets on Monday (July 7) ended a range-bound session with benchmark indices closing almost flat as investors turned cautious amid uncertainties surrounding the India-US trade deal. The BSE Sensex closed at 83,442.50, up marginally by 9.61 points or 0.01 percent, while the NSE Nifty 50 ended at 25,461.3, showing little change. The broader markets saw some weakness, with the NSE MidCap 100 index falling 0.27 percent and the NSE SmallCap 100 index down 0.44 percent.
Sector-wise, the Nifty FMCG index was a notable outperformer, rising 1.68 percent, supported by strong gains in companies like Hindustan Unilever, Dabur India, Britannia, Emami, and Varun Beverages. The Nifty Oil & Gas and Nifty Energy indices also closed in positive territory. In contrast, the Nifty IT, Metal, Bank, Auto, Consumer Durables, and Pharma sectors declined, weighed down by losses in key stocks such as Tech Mahindra, HCL Technologies, Maruti Suzuki, Infosys, Bharat Electronics, and others.
Among individual stocks, Hindustan Unilever, Reliance Industries, Asian Paints, ITC, and Adani Ports were the top gainers, with rises of up to 3 percent. On the other hand, Bharat Electronics, Tech Mahindra, Ultratech Cement, HCL Technologies, Maruti Suzuki, Infosys, and SBI were among the biggest losers, dropping up to 2.4 percent.
The India VIX, a measure of market volatility, increased by nearly 2 percent to settle at 12.56, reflecting heightened investor anxiety due to global trade uncertainties. This cautious sentiment was largely driven by comments from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who indicated that tariffs would be reinstated starting August 1 on countries that have not finalized trade agreements with the Trump administration. This announcement added to concerns about the potential impact on global trade and investor confidence.
Overall, the Indian stock market closed flat with FMCG and energy sectors showing resilience while several key sectors faced selling pressure. Investors remain watchful of developments in global trade negotiations, particularly those involving the United States, as these will likely influence market direction in the near term.