Nifty Snaps 6-Day Rally; Nifty Metal Jumps Over 1% While HUL Falls 3%, Weighing on FMCG Index

Indian equity benchmark indices opened higher on Friday, October 24, 2025, tracking positive global cues. However, the early optimism quickly faded as investors resorted to profit booking. The Nifty 50 slipped to an Intraday low of 25,718.20 before recovering partially from lower levels. Despite the rebound, the index ended the day in negative territory, thereby halting its six-day winning streak.

At the closing bell, the Nifty 50 was down 0.37 per cent (96.25 points) at 25,795.15, while the Sensex declined 344.52 points (0.41 per cent) to settle at 84,211.88. The Bank Nifty lagged behind shedding 0.65 per cent (378.45 points) to close below the 57,700 mark.

For the week, the Nifty 50 managed to log a gain of 0.33 per cent, extending its winning run for the fourth consecutive week. In contrast, the Bank Nifty broke its three-week winning streak, ending the week marginally lower by 0.02 per cent.

India’s business activity softened slightly in October. The HSBC Composite PMI eased to 59.9 from 61 in September, indicating a modest slowdown. Within the components, the Manufacturing PMI improved to 58.4 from 57.7, while the Services PMI declined to 58.8 from 60.9, suggesting a cooling in the services sector.

Sectorally, eight indices ended in the red while three managed gains. The Nifty Metal index emerged as the standout performer, climbing over 1 per cent, supported by strong moves in Hindalco Industries, Hindustan Copper, and National Aluminium, each advancing more than 3 per cent.

On the flip side, the Nifty FMCG index slipped 0.75 per cent, dragged down by Hindustan Unilever, which tumbled over 3 per cent following the release of its Q2FY26 results that failed to meet market expectations.

The broader markets also witnessed profit booking. Both the Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 100 indices extended their decline for the second consecutive session. The advance-decline ratio remained skewed in favor of decliners, reflecting broad-based selling pressure.

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