Closing Bell: Broader markets bled more than benchmarks with the BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices falling up to 0.7 per cent

CLOSING BELL 
 
Equity markets ended Friday&#39;s choppy trade with nominal cuts pulled down by losses in select heavyweights such as Reliance(1 per cent), HUL( 4 per cent), Asian Paints (3 per cent) and Infosys (1 per cent).&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
The BSE Sensex closed 237 points lower at 60,622 after it touched an intra-day high of 61,001. The NSE Nifty reached the day&#39;s high of 18,145 before fizzling out gains and closing 80 points down at 18,028.&nbsp; 
 
The other top frontline drags included Bajaj twins, Nestle, L&T, Bharti Airtel, Maruti, Tech M, Sun Pharma, JSW Steel and HDFC Life, which lost 1-3 per cent.&nbsp; 
 
While Coal India, Power Grid, HDFC twins, ITC, ICICI Bank, SBI, Tata Motors, Axis Bank, and NTPC were among the handful of index gainers.&nbsp; 
 
Broader markets bled more than benchmarks with the BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices falling up to 0.7 per cent.&nbsp; 
 
Within sectors, Nifty consumer durables, FMCG, metals, realty and pharma indices suffered the most losses ending around 1 per cent lower each, while bank and financial pockets held ground and logged fractional gains.&nbsp; 
 
Buzzing stocks: Read why<a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/markets/hindustan-unilever-slips-4-on-hike-in-royalty-payout-to-parent-123012000242_1.html" target="_blank"> HUL</a>, <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/markets/pvr-dips-5-hits-over-10-month-low-post-december-quarter-results-123012000692_1.html" target="_blank">PVR</a>&nbsp;slumped 4 per cent each on Friday. 
 
BS SPECIAL: Will arbitrage strategies work in Adani Enterprise FPO? 
 
Analysts said the Gautam Adani-led firm has hit a masterstroke by issuing partly paid-up shares that will trade separately until they are fully converted and hence, a simple arbitrage strategy may not work in this FPO.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/markets/adani-enterprises-shares-stable-will-arbitrage-strategies-work-123012000478_1.html" target="_blank">Read why</a>

Sensex sheds 237 pts dragged by HUL, RIL, Infosys; Nifty ends below 18,050

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