The Indian stock market witnessed a cautious trading session on Wednesday, December 24, as investors booked profits in select heavyweights amid mixed global cues. The benchmark Sensex slipped 116 points, or 0.14%, to settle at 85,408.70. Similarly, the Nifty 50 closed at 26,142.10, down 35 points, or 0.13%.
BSE’s Midcap and Smallcap indices also followed the negative trend, falling 0.37% and 0.14%, respectively. Meanwhile, the overall market capitalization of BSE-listed companies slipped below ₹475 lakh crore, down from ₹475.70 lakh crore in the previous session.
Investors are now taking a cautious stance as the year draws to a close, with attention gradually shifting toward the upcoming December quarter earnings.
Market Performance: Why the Benchmarks Fell?
The domestic indices ended in the red mainly due to lack of fresh triggers. Profit booking in major stocks like Reliance Industries and ICICI Bank weighed on the broader market.
- Trading volumes remained subdued, reflecting a holiday-shortened week.
- Focus continues on India-US trade negotiations and global economic developments.
- Globally, stronger-than-expected US GDP data signals economic resilience, but rising unemployment has softened optimism.
This combination of domestic caution and mixed global signals kept the market largely sideways.
Key Movers: Top Gainers and Losers
Despite the overall decline, some Nifty 50 stocks managed to post gains:
Top Gainers:
- Trent: +2.26%
- Shriram Finance: +1.69%
- Apollo Hospitals Enterprise: +1.46%
Top Losers:
- InterGlobe Aviation: -1.55%
- Adani Enterprises: -1.37%
- Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories: -1.28%
Out of 50 Nifty stocks, 30 ended the day with losses, highlighting the cautious market mood.
Sectoral Snapshot
Most sectoral indices closed in the red, reflecting uneven investor sentiment:
- Nifty Media: +0.44%
- Nifty Realty: +0.17%
- Nifty Metal: +0.15%
- Nifty Oil & Gas: -0.76%
- Nifty Pharma: -0.51%
- Nifty IT: -0.51%
- Nifty Bank: -0.20% (59,183.60)
The divergence across sectors indicates selective buying in media, realty, and metal, while defensive sectors like pharma and IT lagged.
Most Active Stocks by Volume
Trading activity was dominated by a few counters on the NSE:
- Vodafone Idea: 60.65 crore shares
- Groww: 15.6 crore shares
- Tata Mutual Fund Tata Silver ETF: 11.2 crore shares
These stocks attracted the maximum attention from traders, highlighting focused market participation.
Notable Movers on the BSE
Some small and mid-cap stocks saw sharp gains during the session:
- Eight stocks surged more than 15%, including Teamo Productions HQ, Modi Rubber, and Oval Projects Engineering.
The advance-decline ratio painted a cautious picture:
- Stocks advancing: 1,841
- Stocks declining: 2,346
- Unchanged stocks: 145
52-Week Highs and Lows
52-Week Highs: Vedanta, Shriram Finance, Hindalco Industries, and Eicher Motors recorded fresh highs in intraday trade.
52-Week Lows: ACC, Raymond, Mrs. Bectors Food Specialities, Patel Engineering, PCBL Chemical, and TeamLease Services touched new lows, signaling mixed performance across sectors.
Summary
Wednesday’s trading session reflected the market’s year-end caution. Profit booking in heavyweights and mixed global cues led to minor declines in Sensex and Nifty 50. While select sectors like media, realty, and metal saw buying interest, defensive and cyclical sectors underperformed.
As the year wraps up, investors remain watchful ahead of December quarter earnings, keeping the market sentiment muted yet steady.
Source: Livemint
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