Indian share benchmarks closed slightly lower on Thursday, with losses concentrated in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Healthcare and Technology sectors that nudged headline indices into negative territory.
At the National Stock Exchange close, the Nifty 50 was down 0.02%. At the Bombay Stock Exchange, the Sensex 30 fell 0.15%.
The session's strongest performers on the Nifty 50 included Hero MotoCorp Ltd (NSE:HROM), which advanced 3.60% or 186.00 points to finish at 5,356.00. HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd (NSE:HDFL) climbed 3.57% or 21.65 points to end at 628.00, and Bajaj Auto Ltd (NSE:BAJA) rose 2.63% or 271.00 points to close at 10,590.00 in late trade.
On the flip side, the largest decliners on the index were Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (NSE:HLL), down 1.90% or 44.10 points to 2,273.00 at the close; Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (NSE:TCS), which slipped 1.33% or 32.40 points to finish at 2,403.00; and Titan Company Ltd (NSE:TITN), off 1.16% or 50.60 points to 4,309.00.
The BSE Sensex 30 saw Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (BO:MAHM) lead gainers with a 2.04% rise to 3,367.35. NTPC Ltd (BO:NTPC) added 1.33% to settle at 399.95 and Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. (BO:KTKM) gained 1.18% to close at 380.65. Among the laggards on the Sensex were Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (BO:HLL), down 1.90% to 2,274.00; Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (BO:TCS), down 1.29% to 2,404.00; and Tech Mahindra Ltd (BO:TEML), which fell 1.29% to 1,448.00 at the close.
Market breadth favored advancers. On the National Stock Exchange, 1,722 stocks rose against 806 that fell, and 46 were unchanged. On the Bombay Stock Exchange, 2,545 advanced, 1,448 declined and 159 finished flat.
Shares of Bajaj Auto Ltd (NSE:BAJA) rose to 52-week highs, increasing 2.63% or 271.00 to reach 10,590.00.
Volatility as measured by the India VIX eased, falling 1.50% to 16.43, a new one-month low.
Commodity and currency moves were mixed. Gold futures for June delivery rose 1.00% or 47.09 to $4,741.39 a troy ounce. Crude oil prices declined, with June delivery falling 2.49% or 2.37 to $92.71 a barrel and the July Brent contract down 2.33% or 2.36 to $98.91 a barrel.
In currency markets, USD/INR moved down 0.40% to 94.02 while EUR/INR fell 0.16% to 110.98. The US Dollar Index Futures was lower by 0.18% at 97.70.
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