MUMBAI — Indian stock market benchmarks Sensex and Nifty ended slightly lower on Wednesday as selling pressure in oil and gas, pharmaceutical, and IT stocks weighed on sentiment, while trading activity remained subdued ahead of the Christmas holiday.
The Sensex closed at 85,408.70, down 116.14 points, or 0.14 percent, while the Nifty slipped 35.05 points, or 0.13 percent, to settle at 26,142.10.
Market participants remained cautious, with analysts noting that the Nifty drifted toward the 26,100–26,130 support zone, where limited buying interest emerged but failed to spark a meaningful rebound.
“Unless the Nifty decisively reclaims the 26,200 level, the short-term outlook remains cautious, with downside risks extending toward 26,100 and lower,” market experts said.
On the BSE, Trent, UltraTech Cement, and Maruti Suzuki were among the top gainers, supported by selective buying. However, losses in Tata Motors’ passenger vehicle business, Sun Pharma, and Asian Paints pulled the benchmark lower.
On the NSE, Trent, Shriram Finance, and Apollo Hospitals ended the session higher, while shares of IndiGo and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories were among the key laggards.
The broader market showed mixed trends. The Nifty SmallCap 100 index rose 0.28 percent, while the Nifty MidCap 100 index declined 0.60 percent.
Among sectoral indices, Nifty Oil and Gas was the worst performer, falling 0.76 percent, followed by declines of 0.51 percent each in the Nifty Metal and Pharma indices. On the upside, Nifty Media gained 0.44 percent, while Realty and Metal indices also closed marginally higher.
Analysts said markets remained range-bound and subdued as investors preferred to stay on the sidelines ahead of the holiday, with stock-specific movements driving trading activity.
“Looking ahead, market activity is likely to remain muted, though investors will be closely tracking developments on the trade front,” market watchers said. (Source: IANS)
