Nifty Slips Below 20-DMA; TCS Disappoints, HUL Posts Best Single-Day Rally in Over a Year

Indian benchmark indices—Nifty 50 and Sensex—extended their losing streak for the third consecutive session on Friday, weighed down by broad-based selling pressure. The session began on a weak note with a gap-down opening, and the indices remained under pressure throughout the day, ultimately closing near their intraday lows.

By the end of the trading session, the Nifty 50 declined by 0.81 per cent or 205.40 points to settle at 25,149.85, while the Sensex slipped by 0.83 per cent or 690 points to close at 82,500.47. Notably, the Nifty 50 closed below its crucial 20-day moving average (20-DMA) for the first time since mid-June 2025, signaling technical weakness. On a weekly basis, the Nifty dropped 1.22 per cent, marking its second straight week of losses.

The market breadth was skewed sharply in favor of declines. On the Nifty 50 index, 38 stocks ended in the red while only 12 managed to close in positive territory. The broader market indices also mirrored the negative sentiment, with the Nifty Midcap 100 falling 0.88% and the Nifty Smallcap 100 ending over 1 per cent lower.

The primary drags on the market were heavyweight names like TCS, Bharti Airtel, and HDFC Bank. TCS witnessed its steepest single-day fall in over three months, following a cautious outlook that weighed on investor sentiment.

Stock-Specific Highlights

Hindustan Unilever defied the broader market trend, surging over 4 per cent after the company announced the appointment of Priya Nair as its new Chief Executive Officer—the first woman to assume the top role at the FMCG giant. Hindustan Unilever's share price recorded its highest single-day surge in over a year, marking a fresh five-month high.

In contrast, DMart shares declined by 2.52 per cent ahead of its Q1FY26 results, while PSU company IREDA tumbled over 5 per cent following the release of disappointing Q1FY26 earnings.

Top Contributors to Nifty Movement

Among the top contributors to the Nifty’s gains were:

• Hindustan Unilever: +27.83 points
• Axis Bank: +7.03 points
• Kotak Bank: +6.92 points

Conversely, the biggest draggers on the index included:

• TCS: -33.68 points
• Bharti Airtel: -28.86 points
• HDFC Bank: -27.67 points

Sectoral Performance: Defensive Plays Stand Out

Out of the 11 key sectoral indices, nine ended in negative territory. Defensive sectors outperformed the broader market, with the Nifty Pharma index rising 0.68 per cent and Nifty FMCG gaining 0.51 per cent. On the downside, the Nifty IT index was the worst performer, losing 1.78 per cent, followed closely by Nifty Auto, which declined by 1.77 per cent.

Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice