Domestic equities traded mostly range-bound on August 14, weekly expiry day and the last trading session of this truncated week. On a weekly basis, the benchmark indices snapped their 6-week losing streak, recovering all the losses logged in the previous week.
The Sensex closed 57.75 points or 0.07 per cent higher at 80,597.66. Likewise, the Nifty 50 gained 11.95 points, or 0.05 per cent to close at 24,631.30.
Broader market indices were under pressure as Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 100 fell 0.31 per cent and 0.38 per cent, respectively. The Nifty 500 closed 0.08 per cent lower while Nifty Microcap 250, which tracks the 250 most valuable and liquid stocks beyond the Nifty 500 constituents, slipped the most, falling 0.82 per cent. The Nifty 500 stocks represent more than 92 per cent of the free-float market capitalisation of all the stocks listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).
Metals emerged as the biggest sectoral loser in today’s session, falling 1.39 per cent. Following metals, energy, realty, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), and healthcare sectors also bled. However, banks, financial services, IT and consumer durables ended the day in green.
Nifty 50 Top Gainers And Losers
Wipro, Eternal (formerly Zomato), Infosys, HDFC Life Insurance, Asian Paints, Eicher Motors, Maruti Suzuki, Grasim Industries, Titan, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, State Bank of India, Bajaj Finserv and Bajaj Finance were the top gainers today.
On the other hand, Tata Steel, Adani Ports, Hero MotoCorp, Tech Mahindra, Tata Consumer Products, Jio Financial Services, ONGC, and Bharat Electronics were the top losers.
Key Market Cues To Watch On Monday
The stock market will remain closed on August 15 in observance of Independence Day. Market participants
Trump-Putin Meeting: United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet one-on-one on August 15. The two presidents will discuss the Ukraine conflict and try to find a resolution for it. Trump had earlier said that if Putin doesn’t agree for a ceasefire, there will be more sanctions on Russia. Market participants will be watching closely how this meeting pans out.
India-US Trade Talks: Last week Trump signed an executive order imposing 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods. The initial 25 per cent tariff, announced on August 1, came into effect on August 7. The remaining 25 per cent tariff, which Trump said was imposed for buying Russian oil, will come into effect from August 27. India and the US are currently in talks to find an amicable resolution on the same. Market participants will be tracking this space for any further development.
US Jobless Claims: The US Department of Labour Statistics is expected to report this week’s initial jobless claims later today. This data provides insight into the health of the labor market in the US. A strong job market may lead to tighter monetary policy, while rising claims could indicate economic slowdown.
