Equity benchmark indices traded flat on Thursday’s mid-trading session, off the day’s losses. However, Iran-Israel conflict continue to weigh on investors’ sentiment. The cautious tone is likely to continue due to lack of positive triggers and trade tensions. Investors might stick to wait-and-watch mode till trade deals finalise as the US Fed held rates steady.
Sensex traded flat at 81,422.40 as at 1.02 pm moderating between day’s high and low of 81,583.94 and 81,191.04, respectively, against the previous close of 81,444.66. Nifty 50 dipped 28.85 pts or 0.12 per cent to 24,783.20.
Smallcap index depreciated by 2 per cent, while midcap was down 1.60 per cent at the time of writing. The volatility index was down 1.36 per cent to 14.08.
Except auto index, all other sectors traded in the negative range. PSU Bank, financials, media, realty and metal indexes fell about 2 per cent.
Top gainers and losers today, stocks hit 52-week high and low
Among Nifty 50 pack, Eicher Motors, Tata Consumer Products, Titan, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and M&M led the gainers. Adani Ports, Adani Enterprises,Jio Financial, Bajaj Finance and HDFC Life were the major laggards.
Only 455 stocks advanced while 2,219 stocks declined of all the 2,755 stocks that were traded on the National Stock Exchange.
Authum Investment, AU Small Finance, Muthoot Finance and GRM Overseas were among the 34 stocks that hit 52-week high.
Protean eGov Technologies, Ola Electric,Vodafone Idea and Easy Trip were among 36 stocks that hit 52-week low.
Only 41 stocks hit the upper circuit and 78 hit the lower circuit.
Auto stocks Eicher Motors and M&M traded with over 1 per cent gains. Bajaj Auto, Maruti and Hero Motocorp traded flat. Meanwhile, Bharat Forge, Exide Industries, Motherson and Ashok Leyland declined over 1 per cent.
Shares of Union Bank, Bank of India, Central Bank of India, UCO Bank and Canara Bank dragged the PSU Bank index over 2 per cent.
Biocon shares rose close to 2 per cent among midcap, while LIC Housing Finance, SBI Cards, Supreme Industries and RVNL tanked nearly 4 per cent. Among the smallcap stocks, Cyient, Reliance Power, Railtel, First Cry and Hindustan Copper depreciated 4-5 per cent. Aegis Logistics, RK Forge and PVR Inox rose 1-2 per cent.
On the BSE, Restaurant Brands Asia, Aegis Logistics, Jai Balaji and Indigo Paints rose 2-6 per cent.
On the losing side, Electronics Mart, Cyeint, Intellect Design and Zee Entertainment depreciated 5-8 per cent.