Sensex, Nifty end 4-day rally; mid, small-caps shine: 10 market highlights

After four consecutive sessions of gains, benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended in the red on Monday amid profit-booking in heavyweight stocks. However, the broader market outperformed as mid-cap and small-cap indices surged ahead, reflecting strong investor interest beyond frontline stocks.

Here are the 10 key highlights from the Indian stock market today:

Sensex & Nifty Decline:

The Sensex fell by over 200 points, while the Nifty 50 ended below the 24,300 mark, snapping its four-day winning run.

Profit Booking in Heavyweights:

Pressure was visible in banking, IT, and FMCG sectors, with major stocks like HDFC Bank, TCS, and Hindustan Unilever closing lower.

Mid-Caps Outperform:

The Nifty Midcap 100 index rose nearly 1%, led by strong gains in select PSU and pharma names.

Small-Caps Rally:

The Nifty Smallcap 100 index surged over 1.5%, with stocks in chemicals, auto ancillaries, and energy seeing heavy volumes.

Volatility Inches Up:

India VIX, the volatility gauge, edged slightly higher, indicating investor caution at higher index levels.

Sectoral Trends Mixed:

While Nifty IT and Bank indices ended lower, sectors like realty, media, and pharma witnessed buying interest.

PSU Stocks in Focus:

Public sector companies, especially in power and defense, saw renewed buying amid government support and order inflows.

Global Cues Weak:

Asian and European markets remained subdued ahead of key economic data from the US and China.

FIIs Turn Sellers:

Foreign institutional investors booked profits after consistent buying last week, as per provisional data.

Outlook Ahead:

Analysts expect consolidation near record highs, with action likely to remain stock-specific in the mid and small-cap segments.