Indian stock market benchmarks, the Sensex and the Nifty 50, ended with mild losses on Friday, May 16, on profit booking amid mixed global cues. The Sensex ended 200 points, or 0.24 per cent, lower at 82,330.59, while the Nifty 50 settled at 25,019.80, down 42 points, or 0.17 per cent.
The mid and small-cap indices, however, ended with significant gains, outperforming the benchmarks.
The BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices closed 0.85 per cent and 1.18 per cent higher, respectively.
Due to the gains in the broader markets, the overall market capitalisation of BSE-listed firms rose to nearly ₹443 lakh crore from ₹440 lakh crore in the previous session, making investors richer by about ₹3 lakh crore in a single session.
Here are 10 key highlights from the stock market today:
The Sensex and the Nifty 50 declined on profit booking in select heavyweights, including Bharti Airtel, Infosys, SBI, HCL Tech and TCS.
"Markets traded lacklustre after Thursday’s surge and ended marginally lower, in the absence of any fresh triggers. The tone remained subdued from the outset, with consolidation in heavyweight stocks across sectors capping the move throughout the session," Ajit Mishra, SVP of research, Religare Broking, observed.
The market is witnessing intermittent corrections even though the underlying sentiment of the market remains positive, based on easing geopolitical risks, stable Q4 results, and a healthy macroeconomic outlook.
"The overall sentiment continues to stay firm, with sectoral themes playing out. Indicators and overlays are consistently pointing towards further strength in the short term. Any dips are likely to be bought into, with support placed at 25,000/24,800. On the higher side, a move above 25,120 could take the index towards 25,250/25,350," said Rupak De, Senior Technical Analyst at LKP Securities.
"We continue to maintain our bullish outlook and recommend focusing on selective stock-picking. Going forward, corporate earnings and global market trends will remain key factors to watch in the absence of any major events," said Mishra.
As many as 26 stocks ended with gains in the Nifty 50 index, with Bharat Electronics (up 3.82 per cent), Tata Consumer Products (up 2 per cent), and Bajaj Auto (up 2 per cent) ending as the top gainers.
Bharti Airtel (down 2.83 per cent), HCL Technologies (down 2.06 per cent) and Infosys (down 1.46 per cent) closed as the top losers in the Nifty 50 index.
Nifty Realty rose 1.63 per cent, followed by Media which climbed 1.11 per cent. The FMCG and Auto indices rose 0.66 per cent and 0.62 per cent, respectively.
Nifty Bank and Financial Services indices ended almost flat, while the PSU Bank and Private Bank indices rose 0.10 per cent and 0.09 per cent, respectively.
The IT index fell 0.84 per cent.
Vodafone Idea (68.1 crore shares), YES Bank (19.3 crore shares) and Easy Trip Planners (13.1 crore shares) were the most active stocks in terms of volume on the NSE.
Nucleus Software Exports, Paras Defence and Space Technologies, The Peria Karamalai Tea & Produce Company, Zee Learn, Onward Technologies, Pearl Polymers and Lypsa Gems & Jewellery were the seven stocks that surged more than 15 per cent on the NSE.
Lloyds Engineering Works-RE1 and Ddev Plastiks Industries were the two stocks that crashed more than 10 per cent on the NSE.
As many as 175 stocks, including Zen Technologies, Paras Defence, Sagility India, Raymond, Vakrangee and Unitech, hit their upper circuits in intraday trade on the NSE.
On the flip side, Godfrey Phillips India, Allied Blenders and Distillers and Orient Technologies, were among the 33 stocks that hit their lower circuits in intraday trade on the NSE.
As many as 1,969 stocks advanced, while 911 declined and 91 remained unchanged on the NSE.
As many as 83 stocks, including ICICI Bank, Bharat Electronics (BEL) and Bajaj Holdings & Investment, hit their 52-week highs in intraday trade on the BSE.
On the other hand, 27 stocks, including DB International Stock Brokers, Last Mile Enterprises and Wendt (India), hit their 52-week lows.
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Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, not Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions, as market conditions can change rapidly, and circumstances may vary.
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