Sensex, Nifty kick off new year on a flat note amid high volatility

Stock markets kicked off the New Year on a flat note with benchmark Sensex closing with modest gains of 31 points in a highly volatile trading session on Monday helped by buying in energy, services and telecom shares.

The 30-shares barometer scaled new intraday record high of 72,561.91 before closing at 72,271.94, a gain of 31.68 points or 0.04 per cent over the last close. During the day, it hit a low of 72,031.23 and a high of 72,561.91.

The broader Nifty also hit its all-time intraday high of 21,834.35 before settling higher by 10.50 points or 0.05 per cent at 21,741.90. As many as 22 Nifty shares advanced while 28 declined.

Key stock indices remained volatile throughout the session as traders were indecisive in the absence of global cues, analysts said.

"Market exhibited strength led by optimism on rate cuts, easing global inflation, and softer bond yields. But profit booking was visible at higher levels as lingering concerns over Red Sea disruptions pose short-term risks to global supply chains and freight costs," Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services, said.

The spotlight of this week is also on FOMC minutes which will provide an insight for 2024 rate cut, Nair added.

In 2023, the BSE benchmark jumped 11,399.52 points or 18.73 per cent, and the Nifty climbed 3,626.1 points or 20 per cent.

On the Sensex chart, Nestle, Tech Mahindra, HCL Technologies, Tata Motors, Wipro and ITC were among the winners.

In contrast, Bharti Airtel, Mahindra & Mahindra, Bajaj Finserv, HDFC Bank, NTPC and Hindustan Unilever were among the laggards.

Momentum in mid and small caps remained strong, buoyed by a positive macro-outlook but private banks experienced a reversal trend.

In the broader market, the BSE smallcap gauge climbed 0.73 per cent and midcap index advanced 0.54 per cent.

Among the indices, energy jumped 0.82 per cent, telecommunication climbed 0.76 per cent, services (0.73 per cent), commodities (0.59 per cent), oil & gas (0.64 per cent) and industrials (0.35 per cent).

Auto, bankex and consumer durables were the laggards.

Asian and European markets were closed on Monday for the New Year. The US markets ended marginally lower on Friday.

According to exchange data, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth Rs 1,459.12 crore on Friday.

The BSE benchmark fell 170.12 points or 0.23 per cent to settle at 72,240.26 on the last trading day of 2023 on Friday. The Nifty declined 47.30 points or 0.22 per cent to settle at 21,731.40.