CLOSING BELL
Stock market highlights: A range-bound traded ended on a flat note on Friday as weak global cues amid escalating crisis in Ukraine weighed on investor sentiment. The S&P BSE Sesex, which hit a high of 59,591 in intra-day trade, settled at 59,307, up 104 points or 0.18 per cent.
The Nifty50, meanwhile, closed at 17,576, up 12 points or 0.07 per cent, after hitting a high of 17,670 during the day.
The gains in benchmark indices were led by Axis Bank (up 9.5 per cent), HUL, ICICI Bank, Kotak Bank, SBI Life, and Apollo Hospitals. On the downside, Bajaj Finserv (down 3.4 per cent), Bajaj Finance, Divis Labs, Adan Ports, UPL, Asian Paints, and L&T capped upside.
In the broader markets, the BSE MidCap and SmallCap indices dipped 0.75 per cent and 0.6 per cent, respectively. Sectorally, The Nifty PSU Bank and Private Bank indices gained the most, up 1.8 per cent and 1.6 per cent, respectively, while the Nifty Pharma index fell 0.8 per cent.
Rewind Samvat 2078; Outlook for 2079
Rising inflation triggered by geopolitical tensions amid the Ukraine-Russia war and ensuing global central bank action to tighten the monetary policy hit equities in Samvat 2078. Indian equities, however, proved to be resilient, bolstered by healthy retail and HNI participation, expanding systematic investment plans (SIPs), and lump-sum inflows which helped offset the large outflows from foreign portfolio investors (FPIs).
Overall, the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex and the Nifty50 dipped 0.7 per cent in Samvat 2078, while the BSE MidCap index fell about 4 per cent. The BSE SmallCap index, meanwhile, added 0.1 per cent.
As we enter Samvat 2079, analysts expect markets to remain under pressure and witness more volatility in the near-term on account of deterioration in global macros, and uncertainties prevailing in western economies.
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