The Indian equity market closed flat on Monday as investor sentiment remained subdued amid lingering uncertainty over the interim trade agreement between India and the United States.
The BSE Sensex edged up by just 9.61 points or 0.01%, closing at 83,409.68. The 30-share index opened marginally lower at 83,398.08 compared to the previous session’s close of 83,432.89 and touched an intra-day high of 83,516.83 — a modest gain of 84 points. Similarly, the NSE Nifty 50 ended the session almost unchanged at 25,461.30, inching up by 0.30 points.
Among the top gainers on the Sensex were Hindustan Unilever, Adani Ports, Kotak Bank, Asian Paints, ITC, Power Grid, NTPC, Bharti Airtel, and Sun Pharma. On the flip side, major drags included Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors, Tata Steel, HDFC Bank, Bajaj Finance, L&T, TCS, SBI, and Infosys.
Out of the Nifty50 pack, 22 stocks advanced while 28 declined, reflecting a broadly cautious undertone across the board. Market experts attributed the range-bound session to investor hesitancy ahead of potential US tariff announcements.
“Market participants appeared reluctant to take aggressive positions, keeping the broader index range-bound,” said Sundar Kewat, analyst at Ashika Institutional Equity.
On the sectoral front, buying interest was visible in consumer goods, oil and gas, consumption, and real estate stocks. Conversely, media, metal, IT, and automobile sectors saw mild profit-booking and underperformance.
Broader market indices also reflected weak sentiment. The Nifty Midcap 100 fell 0.27% (162 points) while the Nifty Smallcap 100 declined by 0.44% (82.90 points). However, Nifty FMCG and Nifty 100 indices bucked the trend and closed in the green.
The Indian Rupee weakened by 47 paise or 0.56%, closing at 85.87 against the US dollar. The depreciation was driven by renewed dollar strength, triggered by uncertainty over international trade negotiations.
With the 90-day tariff extension window nearing its end and no formal trade agreements finalized, market participants are adopting a wait-and-watch approach. Analysts note that the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting minutes will be crucial in determining the next moves for global currencies and market sentiment.
