Stock market ends flat; auto shares surge as IT and FMCG decline

Indian equity indices closed nearly unchanged on Friday following a volatile trading session, reflecting mixed investor sentiment amid subdued global market trends.

The benchmark Sensex concluded at 80,710.76, declining marginally by 7.25 points (0.01%). After opening higher at 81,012.42 compared to Thursday’s close of 80,718.01, the index fluctuated throughout the day. This volatility stemmed from contrasting sectoral movements, with automobile stocks gaining ground while IT and FMCG shares faced selling pressure. The Sensex oscillated between an intraday peak of 81,036.56 and a low of 80,321.19.

The Nifty index edged up slightly to settle at 24,741.0, gaining 6.70 points (0.03%).

“Domestic equities maintained cautious optimism as indices recovered from intraday lows through selective buying. The automobile sector extended its rally on hopes of improved consumer demand,” noted a market research head at Geojit Investments.

Broader markets demonstrated stronger performance, with mid- and small-cap stocks attracting investor interest as capital flowed toward growth-oriented segments beyond large caps. Positive global market sentiment also provided support, as Asian and US markets traded higher ahead of the critical US employment data release, which could influence Federal Reserve rate decisions.

Notable gainers among Sensex constituents included Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, PowerGrid Corporation, Bharti Airtel, and Tata Motors. Conversely, ITC, HCL Technologies, TCS, Hindustan Unilever, and Tech Mahindra led the decliners.

Sectoral indices showed divergent trends. The Nifty Auto index surged 1.25% (325.75 points), while Nifty Financial Services edged up 0.14% (35.90 points). In contrast, Nifty IT and Nifty FMCG registered losses of 507 points and 1.42% (811 points) respectively.

Broader market indices remained positive, with the Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap advancing 0.20% and 0.19% respectively, while the Nifty 100 index remained largely unchanged.

(Inputs from IANS)