Mumbai: Indian equity markets closed little changed on Tuesday, with investors caught between selling pressure in defensives and selective buying in financials and auto counters.
The Sensex slipped below its previous close to finish at 82,102, down nearly 58 points. The Nifty 50 also edged lower, closing at 25,169 after a volatile session that saw it struggle for direction.
Trade was marked by sharp sectoral contrasts. Banking and auto shares lent some buoyancy, with stocks such as Axis Bank, Bajaj Finance, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra recording notable gains. State-owned lenders like SBI and utilities such as NTPC and PowerGrid also advanced.
However, the optimism was offset by declines in IT and consumer staples. Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech and Sun Pharma were among the top laggards from the IT and healthcare space, while household names like Hindustan Unilever, ITC and Asian Paints dragged the FMCG index sharply lower. Ultratech Cement and Bharti Airtel also featured on the losers’ list.
On the sectoral front, Nifty Bank rose 0.41% and Nifty Auto added 0.62%, reflecting steady appetite for cyclical plays. By contrast, Nifty FMCG tumbled 1.29% — its steepest fall in weeks — and Nifty IT slipped 0.71%.
The weakness extended to the broader market, with both the mid-cap and small-cap gauges retreating. The Nifty Smallcap 100 lost over half a percent, while the Nifty Midcap 100 shed 0.35%.
