Nifty 50, Sensex End Flat; Metal Index Gains 2%

Market Update at 04:00 PM: Indian equity markets ended Tuesday, December 30, on a flat note amid muted global cues and thin year-end trading, which kept investor sentiment subdued. Concerns over continued foreign fund outflows and the lack of near-term triggers weighed on market momentum, leading to cautious participation across sectors.

At the closing bell, the Nifty 50 slipped marginally by 3.25 points, or 0.01 per cent, to settle at 25,938.85, while the Sensex declined 20.46 points, or 0.02 per cent, to close at 84,675.08. The Nifty formed a doji candle on the daily chart, indicating indecision among investors, and extended its losing streak to the fourth consecutive trading session.

Broad-based profit booking was visible in the market, particularly in heavyweight stocks, as investors preferred to trim positions ahead of the year-end. The Nifty has declined nearly 0.9 per cent over the last three sessions, while the Sensex is down more than 1 per cent over the previous four sessions. Realty and IT stocks remained under pressure, with the respective sectoral indices falling 0.74 per cent and 0.84 per cent.

With only a few trading sessions remaining in the year and no major domestic or global cues expected in the near term, the market appears to be entering a phase of uncertainty, marked by low volumes and selective stock-specific action.

On the sectoral front, 5 out of 11 NSE indices ended in positive territory. The Nifty Metal index emerged as the top-performing sector, rising 2.03 per cent, supported by gains across major metal stocks. The Nifty PSU Bank and Nifty Auto indices also posted gains of over 1 per cent each. In contrast, the Nifty Realty index declined 0.84 per cent, extending its losing streak to the third straight session.

The broader markets underperformed the benchmark indices. The Nifty Midcap 100 index ended lower by 0.15 per cent, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 declined 0.28 per cent, reflecting continued risk aversion in mid- and Small-Cap stocks.

Market breadth on the NSE remained negative, indicating a cautious undertone. Out of 3,244 stocks traded, 1,410 advanced, 1,723 declined, and 111 remained unchanged. During the session, 49 stocks touched their 52-week highs, while 149 stocks hit their 52-week lows. Additionally, 72 stocks were locked in Upper Circuits, whereas 58 stocks were stuck in Lower Circuits, highlighting selective volatility in individual counters.

Market Update at 12:28 PM: Indian equity benchmarks were trading in the red on Tuesday noon, weighed down by broad-based selling across sectors. Investor sentiment remained cautious as both frontline and broader indices witnessed losses.

At around 12:00 PM, the BSE Sensex was down 145 points, or 0.17 per cent, trading at 84,550.89 levels. The NSE Nifty50 also declined 43.50 points, or 0.17 per cent, to trade at 25,898.60 levels.

Broader markets underperformed the benchmarks. The Nifty MidCap 100 index slipped 0.40 per cent, while the Nifty SmallCap 100 index declined a sharper 0.70 per cent, reflecting selling pressure in mid- and small-cap stocks.

Among Sensex constituents, Eternal, Bajaj Finserv, UltraTech Cement, Bharat Electronics, Infosys, and Trent emerged as the top laggards. On the other hand, Mahindra and Mahindra, Axis Bank, Bharti Airtel, Maruti Suzuki, and Adani Ports provided some support to the index by trading higher.

On the sectoral front, Nifty Realty and Nifty Chemicals were the worst performers, each falling over 1 per cent. Other indices such as Nifty Healthcare, Pharma, IT, Financial Services, FMCG, Consumer Durables, and Media were also trading lower. In contrast, buying interest was seen in Nifty Auto, Metal, PSU Bank, and Oil and Gas indices, which were trading in the green.

Market Update at 09:39 AM: Indian stock markets opened on a weak note today, with indices witnessing broad-based selling. The BSE Sensex was trading at Rs 84,555, down 141 points or 0.17 per cent in early deals. Similarly, the Nifty50 index stood at Rs 25,913, falling 29 points or 0.11 per cent.

In the broader market segment, the Nifty MidCap index slipped 0.14 per cent, while the Nifty SmallCap index declined 0.16 per cent, reflecting a cautious sentiment among investors.

Several initial public offerings (IPOs) are scheduled to list on the bourses today. The mainline IPOs include Gujarat Kidney, while SME IPOs set for listing are Sundrex Oil, Shyam Dhani, Dachepalli Publishers, and EPW India.

Additionally, the E to E Transportation IPO (mainline) is entering Day 3 of its subscription, attracting attention from retail and institutional investors alike.

Pre-Market Update at 7:44 AM: Indian equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty 50 are expected to open Tuesday’s session, December 30, on a weak note, potentially extending their decline to a fifth consecutive day. Market sentiment remains cautious amid mixed global cues and thin year-end trading volumes. Early signals from Gift Nifty indicate a subdued start, with the index hovering around 25,957, down 29 points or 0.11 per cent from the previous close of Nifty futures.

Asian markets paused after a seven-session rally, tracking technology-led weakness on Wall Street. Precious metals traded in a narrow range after pulling back from record highs, while overall trading activity remained light due to the year-end holiday period.

India’s industrial production rebounded sharply in November 2025, with the Index of Industrial Production rising 6.7 per cent year on year, marking a two-year high. This followed a muted 0.4 per cent growth in October due to festive disruptions. Manufacturing led the recovery with an 8 per cent expansion, supported by gains in metals, pharmaceuticals and automobiles. Mining output rose 5.4 per cent, while electricity generation declined marginally. Strength across capital goods, infrastructure and consumer segments pointed to improving industrial momentum.

Foreign Institutional Investors remained net sellers for the fifth consecutive session on Monday, December 29, selling equities worth Rs 2,759.89 crore. Domestic Institutional Investors continued to provide support, buying equities worth Rs 2,643.85 crore and extending their buying streak to 46 straight sessions.

Indian equity markets ended Monday’s session in negative territory as muted year-end participation and persistent foreign fund outflows weighed on sentiment. The Nifty 50 declined 100 points, or 0.38 per cent, to close at 25,942, while the Sensex fell 346 points, or 0.41 per cent, to 84,696. Markets remained range-bound, with December’s average daily trading volume in Nifty 50 stocks falling to 250 million shares from 300 million in November, highlighting thin liquidity and a lack of fresh triggers.

Sector-wise, only three of the 11 indices closed higher. Nifty Media gained 0.93 per cent, followed by marginal gains in FMCG stocks. Nifty IT declined 0.75 per cent, extending its losing streak to four sessions. Broader markets also remained under pressure, with the Nifty Midcap 100 and Smallcap 100 indices falling 0.52 per cent and 0.72 per cent, respectively.

U.S. equities ended slightly lower on Monday in subdued, holiday-thinned trading as investors entered the final week of the year. With only two sessions left before markets close for New Year’s Day, the modest pullback did little to overshadow a strong annual performance. The S&P 500 slipped 24.20 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 6,905.74 but remained up over 17 per cent in 2025 and on track for its eighth consecutive monthly gain. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 249.04 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 48,461.93, while the Nasdaq Composite declined 118.75 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 23,474.35.

Silver prices steadied after witnessing their steepest one-day decline in more than five years as investors booked profits following a strong rally. Despite a 9 per cent fall in the previous session, silver remained above USD 71 per ounce. Gold traded largely flat near USD 4,340 per ounce after dropping 4.4 per cent earlier, with selling pressure emerging as prices appeared technically overextended amid thin holiday liquidity.

In early Asian trade, spot silver slipped 0.5 per cent to USD 71.74 per ounce after touching a record high of USD 84.01 in the prior session. Gold edged up 0.1 per cent to USD 4,336.86, while platinum and palladium extended losses following sharp double-digit declines on Monday.

Crude oil prices held on to most of their recent gains as geopolitical tensions offset concerns over excess supply. West Texas Intermediate hovered near USD 58 per barrel after rising 2.4 per cent on Monday, while Brent crude traded just below USD 62. Supply concerns intensified after Venezuela began shutting oil wells in a region holding the world’s largest crude reserves amid a U.S. blockade.

Geopolitical risks remained elevated after U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States had carried out a strike on a facility in the country. Separately, Trump’s efforts to broker an end to the Ukraine war faced setbacks after Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was reassessing negotiations following an alleged drone incident. Trump also warned that the U.S. would strike Iran again if it attempted to revive its nuclear programme.

For today, Sammaan Capital will remain on the F&O ban list.

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