Market Opens Strong but Closes Flat: Benchmark Indices Cool Off Despite Record Highs
The Indian stock market kicked off the week with momentum, scaling fresh all‑time highs in early trade on Monday. However, profit‑booking and pressure from heavyweight financials dragged the indices lower by the close.
By the end of the session:
Sensex closed at 85,641.90 (▼ 64.77 pts | 0.08%)
Nifty 50 settled at 26,175.75 (▼ 27.20 pts | 0.10%)
Despite the subdued close, the broader market remained steady, with the total market capitalization of BSE-listed companies holding firm at ₹474 lakh crore.
Sector Snapshot: Mixed Trends Across the Board
Decliners
Bank Nifty: Fell 0.12% after touching a historic intraday peak of 60,114.30
Financial Services: ▼ 0.27%
Realty & Healthcare: Both slipped ~1%
Gainers
Nifty Auto: ▲ 0.79%
Strong traction in passenger vehicles and two-wheelers
Nifty Metal: ▲ 0.58%
Supported by global commodity tailwinds
Top Drags & Boosters on Nifty50
Top Gainers
UltraTech Cement: ▲ 3.56%
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles: ▲ 1.88%
Maruti Suzuki: ▲ 1.42%
Top Losers
Max Healthcare: ▼ 2.67%
InterGlobe Aviation: ▼ 2.19%
Bajaj Finance: ▼ 1.71%
Banking and financial sector giants such as HDFC Bank, Bajaj Finance, and SBI weighed heavily on the indices, offsetting strength from autos and metals.
Broader Market: Rangebound But Active
Out of 4,455 stocks traded on the BSE:
1,836 advanced
2,405 declined
214 remained unchanged
Notable 52‑Week Highs
Mahindra & Mahindra
Adani Ports
Bank of Baroda
Hero MotoCorp
Vedanta
52‑Week Lows
United Breweries
Trent
Page Industries
Deepak Nitrite
SJVN
Currency Check: Rupee Hits Fresh Record Low
The Indian rupee weakened to 89.7575 per USD in intraday trade—its lowest level ever—before recovering slightly to close at 89.5475, down 0.1%.
Persistent FPI outflows, a strong dollar, and oil price fluctuations continue to pressure the domestic currency.
Stock in Focus: Paytm Rebounds Strongly
Fintech major Paytm saw renewed buying:
Closed: ₹1,368 (▲ 3.6%)
Intraday: ₹1,371—highest in 4 years
Auto stocks, including Hyundai Motor India, Force Motors, Tata Motors PV, and Hero MotoCorp, also gained over 2%, driven by festive-season demand and strong delivery numbers.
Market Takeaway
Despite early fireworks and new lifetime highs, Monday’s session reflects a market that is:
Rotating back into defensives
Digesting valuations at the top end
Watching global cues and currency weakness closely
Autos and metals are emerging as near‑term leaders, but financial heavyweights continue to dictate the market’s direction.
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