Sensex and Nifty News: Market Ends Flat as Investors Book Profits Amid Mixed Global Cues

The Indian stock market witnessed a muted session on Tuesday, December 23, with frontline indices ending largely flat. Profit booking at elevated levels and cautious investor sentiment kept gains in check, even as mid and small-cap stocks managed modest advances.

The Sensex closed at 85,524.84, down 43 points (0.05%), while the Nifty 50 ended slightly higher at 26,177.15, up 5 points (0.02%). BSE’s Midcap index inched up 0.07%, and the Smallcap index rose 0.38%, reflecting selective buying in smaller stocks.

Market Performance Overview

Despite a subdued finish, the broader market showed signs of resilience:

• Top gainers in Nifty 50:
  • Coal India: +3.73%
  • Shriram Finance: +2.42%
  • ITC: +1.53%
• Top losers in Nifty 50:
  • Infosys: -1.48%
  • Bharti Airtel: -1.15%
  • Adani Ports & SEZ: -1.05%
• Sectoral trends:
  • Nifty IT led losses, down 0.80%
  • PSU Bank: -0.34%, Pharma: -0.23%, Healthcare: -0.24%, Consumer Durables: -0.23%
  • Nifty Media gained 0.80%, Metal: 0.54%, FMCG: 0.52%
  • Nifty Bank slipped slightly by 0.01% to 59,299.55
• Most active stocks by volume:
  • Vodafone Idea: 100.6 crore shares
  • Jupiter Wagons: 13.6 crore shares
  • Belrise Industries: 10.26 crore shares

Key Highlights from the Day

• Why the benchmarks ended flat
  The market had gained over 1% in the past two sessions. Mixed global cues, profit booking, and a lack of fresh triggers contributed to the flat close. Investors appear to be positioning themselves for the next earnings season while keeping an eye on global developments, including US Federal Reserve policy and trade negotiations.
• Stocks making significant moves
  On the BSE, 16 stocks surged more than 15%, including Prism Johnson, Teamo Productions HQ, PEARL Polymers, Transwarranty Finance, Modi Rubber, Vivid Mercantile, Deccan Gold Mines, and Omaxe.
• Advance-decline ratio
  Out of 4,365 stocks traded on BSE:
  • Advancers: 2,292
  • Decliners: 1,892
  • Unchanged: 181
• 52-week highs and lows
  • Highs: 107 stocks, including Maruti Suzuki India, Eicher Motors, Shriram Finance
  • Lows: 85 stocks, including ACC, PC Jeweller, Sanofi India, Mrs. Bectors Food Specialities, The Anup Engineering

Company Insights

• Heavyweights influencing benchmarks: Infosys, Bharti Airtel, and ICICI Bank were the main drags on the Sensex and Nifty 50.
• Support stocks: HDFC Bank and ITC helped limit losses, providing underlying support to the indices.

Summary

The market’s flat finish on Tuesday reflects a phase of consolidation after recent gains. While the mid and small-cap stocks show selective strength, heavyweights faced selling pressure, keeping the frontline indices in check. Investors remain cautious, watching global cues, domestic earnings, and sectoral trends.

The Sensex and Nifty 50 remain sensitive to short-term profit booking, but the underlying market breadth—supported by mid and small-cap gains—suggests a steady sentiment.

Source: Livemint