CHENNAI: Indian equity benchmarks ended marginally higher on Friday after a volatile session, with a late surge in buying helping the market recover from earlier losses.
The Sensex closed at 84,562.78, up 84 points, while the Nifty 50 settled at 25,910.05, gaining 31 points. Both indices spent most of the day in negative territory before a sharp recovery in the final hour.
Broader market indices also ended in the green, though with a mixed undertone. The Nifty Midcap 100 added a fraction, and the Smallcap 100 posted a modest rise. Market breadth, however, remained weak, with more stocks declining than advancing.
Public-sector banks led the gains, supported by renewed interest in financials and optimism around credit growth. The pharma and FMCG sectors also posted steady advances. On the other hand, IT stocks fell over 1%, extending their recent weakness amid soft global cues. Metal and auto shares also came under pressure.
Market sentiment improved late in the session as early trends from the Bihar elections pointed to political continuity, which investors typically view as a supportive factor for policy stability. Global cues remained subdued, with weakness in US technology shares and uncertainty over the timing of US interest-rate cuts weighing on risk appetite earlier in the day.
The rupee also saw mild pressure, ending slightly weaker against the US dollar.
Nifty’s recovery from the 25,750 level—near a key moving average—helped reinforce immediate support. A sustained move above 26,000 may open the door for further gains, though the weak market breadth signals caution.
Investors will watch upcoming global inflation data, central-bank commentary and domestic macro readings for near-term direction. Sector rotation remains visible, with flows shifting from export-oriented counters toward domestic-facing sectors such as banks, FMCG and select industrials.