The Nifty held on to levels above the psychologically important 25,400 points, helped by gains in heavyweight Reliance Industries. The benchmark gained only 10 points to end at 83,443. The Sensex also ended flat at 25,461.
The Nifty 50 ended Monday’s session little changed as benchmark indices remained in a consolidation phase, with gains in FMCG and select large caps like Reliance Industries offset by weakness in midcaps, energy stocks, and select financials.
The Nifty held on to levels above the psychologically important 25,400 points, helped by gains in heavyweight Reliance Industries. It ended flat at 25,461. The Sensex gained only 10 points to end at 83,443.
"For the Nifty, significant call writing was observed at the 25,500 and 26,000 strike levels, while put writing was prominent at the 25,400 and 25,300 levels. The Put-Call Ratio (PCR) stood at 0.80, suggesting a slightly bearish bias in the near term. Meanwhile, the Max Pain level remained at 25,450, implying potential expiry pressure around the same zone. With the index lacking a decisive directional bias, Participants are expected to closely monitor global cues and domestic macro data for fresh triggers," Sundar Kewat, Technical and Derivatives Analyst, Ashika Institutional Equity – Ashika Stock Broking said in a note.
The Nifty Midcap 100 index falling 162 points to 59,516, and the Nifty Bank index shedding 83 points to 56,949.
Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) emerged as the top contributor to the Nifty's gains, helping the index maintain levels above 25,400. The session saw support from FMCG majors, buoyed by initial Q1 corporate updates. Four of the top six contributors to the Nifty were FMCG names — Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Nestle India, Tata Consumer Products, and ITC — all ending higher.
In contrast, lower crude oil prices weighed on upstream oil producers. ONGC and Oil India closed in the red as Brent crude extended losses, impacting sector sentiment. Meanwhile, oil marketing companies such as HPCL, BPCL, and IOC gained between 1-2%, tracking easing crude prices and expectations of improved marketing margins.
Among stocks in focus, Info Edge (India) Ltd. declined over 4% after reporting its lowest billing growth in four quarters, sparking concerns over demand softness in its recruitment platform business. Jubilant FoodWorks also ended lower despite a healthy Q1 update, while Dabur India rose mildly despite a weak topline, supported by margin commentary.
Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. surged 6%, topping the midcap gainers list after the company reported strong quarterly numbers driven by domestic volume growth and pricing tailwinds.
Defence stocks, which had rallied sharply in recent weeks, faced selling pressure. Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) was the top loser on the Nifty, ending deep in the red, dragging other names like HAL and Cochin Shipyard lower.
ICICI Lombard General Insurance fell following weak June premium data and tepid Q1 growth, underperforming the broader insurance space. In contrast, New India Assurance recovered from early lows and ended modestly higher after reporting a strong double-digit rise in June and Q1 premium collections.
PB Fintech Ltd., the parent of Policybazaar, staged a sharp last-hour recovery and closed at the day’s high, reversing early losses.
Elsewhere, Dreamfolks Services extended its slide, falling another 6%, amid sustained profit booking. JP Power Ventures was a standout performer in the small-cap space, rising 19%, fueled by heavy volume-led buying.
First Published:
Jul 7, 2025 3:43 PM
IST