Benchmark indices ended largely higher after a volatile session, with the Sensex rising 266 points to close at 83,580 and the Nifty adding 51 points to settle above the 25,650 mark at 25,694.
Despite the gains in frontline indices, market breadth remained weak, as declines outpaced advances. The NSE advance-decline ratio stood at 2:3, indicating broader pressure across the market. The Midcap index underperformed, slipping 14 points to end at 59,503, while the Nifty Bank gained 57 points to close at 60,120.
FMCG stocks outperformed and ended the session at the day’s high, providing key support to the benchmarks. ITC, Hindustan Unilever, and United Breweries emerged as top gainers within the sector. In contrast, IT stocks extended their losing streak for a third consecutive session, closing lower amid continued sectoral weakness.
Among individual stocks, Bharti Airtel climbed 2% after reporting its Q3 results. In the midcap segment, LIC and Nykaa emerged as the top gainers, rising over 7% each following their Q3 earnings announcements. On the downside, BEML fell over 7% after the company reported a net loss of `22.4 crore on a year-on-year basis. Tata Motors’ passenger vehicle business slipped more than 1% after its Q3 performance missed estimates.
Meanwhile, Hitachi Energy surged 14% after reporting a strong 90.5% year-on-year jump in net profit, lifting investor sentiment around the stock.
Overall, while benchmark indices managed to close in the green, broader market weakness and midcap underperformance capped gains, keeping sentiment cautious.
The week that was:
Benchmark indices extended gains for a second straight week, rising about 1.5%, supported by selective buying despite a volatile backdrop.
The Midcap index outperformed, climbing nearly 2%, led by strong gains in Balkrishna Industries, Nykaa, and CG Power. Sectorally, Consumer Durables and Realty were the clear leaders, with both indices jumping around 6% over the week.
In contrast, IT and defence stocks were the biggest laggards, slipping 5–7% amid weak global cues and sustained selling pressure.
Among Nifty stocks, Power Grid, Adani Enterprises, Adani Ports, Max Healthcare, and Trent emerged as the top gainers, while Infosys, Tech Mahindra, HCL Technologies, TCS, and BEL featured among the top losers.
Overall, the week was marked by midcap outperformance and sharp sectoral divergence, even as headline indices closed firmly higher.