Indian equity benchmarks finished slightly higher on Thursday, with sector strength in Consumer Durables, Capital Goods and Oil & Gas pushing the market into positive territory by the close.
On the National Stock Exchange, the Nifty 50 closed up 0.05%. The BSE Sensex finished the session 0.02% higher.
Leading the gains on the Nifty was Titan Company Ltd (TITN), which added 3.92% to finish at 4,249.00. Eternal Ltd (ETEA) and Cipla Ltd. (CIPL) were other notable advancers on the index, rising 2.94% to 254.25 and 1.95% to 1,402.00 respectively.
On the downside, Infosys Ltd (INFY) was the weakest Nifty stock, slipping 1.36% to close at 1,206.00. Hindalco Industries Ltd. (HALC) declined 1.20% to 1,125.20, while Bajaj Finserv Ltd (BJFS) fell 1.12% to 1,714.90.
The top performers on the BSE Sensex echoed Nifty action. Titan Company rose 4.00% to 4,250.10, Eternal gained 2.99% to end at 254.50 and ITC Ltd (ITC) advanced 1.19% to close at 280.25.
Lagging the Sensex were Infosys, down 1.35% to 1,205.70, Bajaj Finserv, which lost 1.13% to 1,713.20, and UltraTech Cement Ltd (ULTC), which declined 0.81% to finish at 11,012.00.
Market breadth on the exchanges was mixed but tilted toward more winners. On the National Stock Exchange, rising issues outnumbered decliners 1,326 to 1,208, with 47 stocks unchanged. On the Bombay Stock Exchange, 2,083 shares advanced, 1,846 declined and 160 were unchanged.
Volatility, as measured by the India VIX which captures implied moves in Nifty 50 option prices, eased 3.10% to 15.77.
Commodity moves during the session showed Gold Futures for August delivery up 0.62% or 27.80 to $4,494.70 a troy ounce. Crude oil futures for July delivery fell 0.97% or 0.93 to $95.09 a barrel, while the August Brent contract declined 1.20% or 1.17 to trade at $96.64 a barrel.
In currency markets, the Indian rupee was slightly weaker against the dollar and firmer versus the euro. USD/INR was up 0.02% at 95.72, while EUR/INR rose 0.34% to 111.39. The US Dollar Index Futures eased 0.22% to 99.29.
Key takeaways
- Benchmarks ended modestly higher - Nifty 50 +0.05% and BSE Sensex +0.02%.
- Sector drivers included Consumer Durables, Capital Goods and Oil & Gas, with Titan among the session leaders.
- Volatility eased as India VIX fell 3.10% to 15.77; commodity prices diverged with gold up and crude oil down.
Market leadership and laggards
- Titan Company Ltd (TITN): +3.92% to 4,249.00 on the NSE; +4.00% to 4,250.10 on the BSE.
- Eternal Ltd (ETEA): +2.94% to 254.25 on the NSE; +2.99% to 254.50 on the BSE.
- Cipla Ltd. (CIPL): +1.95% to 1,402.00 on the NSE.
- Infosys Ltd (INFY): -1.36% to 1,206.00 on the NSE; -1.35% to 1,205.70 on the BSE.
- Bajaj Finserv Ltd (BJFS): -1.12% to 1,714.90 on the NSE; -1.13% to 1,713.20 on the BSE.
- UltraTech Cement Ltd (ULTC): -0.81% to 11,012.00 on the BSE.
Observations for investors
The session was characterized by modest index gains and selective stock moves across sectors. Consumer Durables and Capital Goods names supported the market advance, while some IT and financial stocks weighed on headline indices. Commodity and currency shifts were mixed, with gold higher and crude lower, and only small movements in the rupee against major currencies.