Before the Christmas holiday, Indian shares moved lower on thin trading, with foreign investors selling and a lack of fresh catalysts keeping risk appetite muted.
Market Snapshot
The Sensex slipped 116 points, or 0.14%, to close at 85,408.70. The Nifty 50 fell 35 points, or 0.13%, ending at 26,142.10. Losses were seen in oil & gas, pharma and IT stocks.
Analyst Viewpoint
Vinod Nair of Geojit Investments said the week was largely sideways as traders stayed cautious ahead of the holidays. He noted that the RBI’s recent liquidity steps – open market operations and a USD/INR swap – should help ease currency volatility.
Globally, stronger‑than‑expected US GDP data shows resilience, but rising unemployment tempers optimism. Gold stayed near $4,500 on a softer dollar, while Brent crude hovered near multi‑year lows, supporting a benign inflation outlook. Nair expects market activity to stay muted until trade developments become clearer.
US Market Highlights
In the United States, the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average both hit record closing highs, and gold remained just under $4,500 in a low‑volume, shortened session.
Technical Outlook
Ajit Mishra of Religare Broking maintains a positive bias and recommends a "buy‑on‑dip" strategy as long as the Nifty stays in its uptrend. He says a decisive break above 59,500 in the banking index could spark the next upward move. Until then, he advises focusing on strong sectors such as private banks, metals and auto, and practicing disciplined risk management.
Most Active Stocks – Value
- JBM Auto (₹2,302 cr)
- Hindustan Copper (₹2,030 cr)
- Jupiter Wagons (₹1,660 cr)
- Reliance Industries (₹1,375 cr)
- HDFC Bank (₹1,365 cr)
- ICICI Bank (₹1,220 cr)
- Shriram Finance (₹1,030 cr)
Most Active Stocks – Volume
- Vodafone Idea (60.65 cr shares)
- Reliance Power (7.9 cr shares)
- Jupiter Wagons (4.9 cr shares)
- Hindustan Copper (4.7 cr shares)
- Castrol India (4.64 cr shares)
- Ola Electric Mobility (4.59 cr shares)
- YES Bank (4.54 cr shares)
Stocks Drawing Buying Interest
- JBM Auto
- Hindustan Copper
- Manappuram Finance
- Reliance Power
- IIFL Finance
- Nuvama Wealth Management
- Olectra Greentech
52‑Week Highs and Lows
More than 115 stocks hit their 52‑week highs, including Vedanta and Maruti Suzuki. Meanwhile, 102 stocks fell to 52‑week lows.
Stocks Under Selling Pressure
- Kajaria Ceramic
- Navin Fluorine
- HFCL
- Kirloskar Oil
- Godawari Power
- BSE
- DB Realty
Overall Market Sentiment
Out of 4,332 BSE‑listed stocks that traded on Wednesday, 2,346 fell, 1,841 rose and 145 were unchanged, indicating a bearish tone.
Remember, this is just an overview, not a prediction. Do your own research before making any investment decisions.