MUMBAI, India — Indian equity benchmarks recovered from early losses but ended marginally lower on Monday as weak global cues and continued uncertainty weighed on investor sentiment.
The benchmark Sensex closed at 85,213.36, down 54.30 points, or 0.06 percent, while the Nifty finished at 26,027.30, slipping 19.65 points, or 0.08 percent.
Selling pressure was visible across several heavyweight stocks. Shares of Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Bajaj Finserv, Titan, HDFC Bank, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finance, Power Grid and NTPC ended the session among the top laggards.
Gains were limited to a handful of stocks, with Hindustan Unilever, Trent, HCL Technologies, Infosys and Asian Paints closing in positive territory.
Broader markets showed a mixed trend. The Nifty Midcap index declined 0.12 percent, while the Nifty Smallcap index outperformed the benchmarks, rising 0.21 percent.
Sectorally, auto stocks faced the sharpest pressure, with the Nifty Auto index falling 0.91 percent. The Nifty Pharma index also ended lower, down 0.4 percent.
In contrast, buying interest was seen in media and FMCG stocks. The Nifty Media index jumped 1.79 percent, while the Nifty FMCG index gained 0.69 percent.
Market participants remained cautious throughout the session, tracking weak global cues and awaiting clearer direction from overseas markets.
“Persistent foreign fund outflows and a weak rupee have kept markets in a narrow range, with currency volatility likely to continue until clarity emerges on the India–U.S. trade deal,” market watchers said.
Looking ahead, analysts expect market momentum to be driven more by corporate earnings than valuations. Investors are also watching key economic indicators, including U.S. CPI inflation and unemployment data, which are expected to influence global liquidity conditions and the interest rate outlook for 2026. (Source: IANS)
