Sensex and Nifty News: Markets End May on a Weak Note as Metal and Tech Stocks Drag

Market Performance

Indian stock markets ended the final session of May in negative territory, undoing the short-lived rebound seen earlier in the week. A sharp sell-off in key sectors, including technology, auto, and metals, weighed heavily on investor sentiment.

• Sensex fell by 182 points (0.22%) to end at 81,451
• Nifty 50 slipped 83 points (0.33%) to settle at 24,750
• Broader markets saw mild losses with:
  • Nifty Midcap 100 down 0.06%
  • Nifty Smallcap 100 down 0.03%

Despite the weak session, Sensex and Nifty News remained optimistic for May as a whole. Both indices ended the month with gains of over 1.5%, marking the third straight month of growth.

Main News

Investor sentiment was dampened due to multiple headwinds:

• Renewed global trade tensions following a U.S. court ruling reinstating tariffs.
• Concerns about U.S. economic slowdown after a negative Q1 GDP print.
• Mixed signals from overseas investors, keeping market activity range-bound.

Volatility stayed under control, as the India VIX declined by 2%, indicating reduced risk in the market despite the downward trend.

Company and Sectoral Performance

Metal Stocks Lead the Decline

• Nifty Metal Index dropped 1.69%, making it the worst-performing sector.
• Tech stocks followed, with the Nifty IT Index down 1.15%.
• Major tech firms, including TCS, Infosys, and HCL Technologies, experienced losses of up to 2%.

Broad-Based Losses Across Sectors

Apart from metals and IT, several sectors ended lower:

• Nifty Auto, FMCG, Oil & Gas, Realty, and Pharma saw cuts ranging from 0.6% to 1%

PSU Banks Offer Some Relief

The lone bright spot in Friday's session was the Nifty PSU Bank Index, which gained 2.88%. This uptrend was primarily driven by:

• SBI and Bank of Baroda led the gains, rising by as much as 3%

Broader Trends in Sensex and Nifty News

Despite the lackluster trading day, broader market trends showed:

• Midcap Index up 6% in May
• The Smallcap Index is up 9%, outperforming the large-caps

This indicates more substantial investor confidence in smaller companies over large-cap stocks during the month.

Summary of the Article

The latest Sensex and Nifty News reveals a subdued end to May's trading as metal and tech stocks dragged down the indices. While major indices, such as the Sensex and Nifty, closed lower, the overall monthly performance remained positive. PSU banks offered some relief amidst widespread sectoral losses, and broader markets remained relatively resilient.

With investors awaiting GDP data and facing ongoing global uncertainties, markets are expected to trade within a narrow range in the near term.