Indian stock markets ended largely range-bound on Thursday, August 6, as investors awaited greater clarity on a potential peace agreement in the Middle East before taking fresh positions. Weak performance from heavyweight stocks also kept the broader market under pressure.
The Nifty 50 edged up 0.05% to close at 24,636, while the Sensex gained 0.26% to settle at 78,785. The broader markets, however, ended mixed, with the Nifty Midcap 100 declining 0.44%, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 rose 0.48%.
Among the sectoral indices, Nifty PSU Bank, Chemicals, Oil & Gas, and Consumer Durables witnessed strong buying interest, while Realty, Media, Auto, and Metal stocks ended in the red.
The prospects of ending the five-month-long conflict between the US and Iran appeared to improve after reports suggested that Iran had entered the final stage of drafting an agreement with Oman on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, according to an AP report.
Meanwhile, US officials continued to express confidence that a deal with Iran was nearing. However, investors remained cautious over whether any agreement would lead to a lasting peace in the region.
On Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqaei said discussions were progressing positively at both the technical and political levels.
According to Iran’s Fars News Agency, he added that the talks were focused on establishing safe shipping routes while safeguarding the sovereign rights and security interests of both Iran and Oman.
In the commodity market, crude oil prices stabilised after declining for three consecutive sessions, as improving prospects for a diplomatic breakthrough eased concerns over supply disruptions.
“Despite lower trading volumes and weekly expiry-related volatility, the Indian stock market ended on a positive note. Strong buying interest near key support levels helped the Nifty recover from its intraday lows, while selective gains in auto, metals, and realty stocks outweighed weakness in banking and IT,” said domestic brokerage firm Lemonn.
Defence stocks, strong Q1 performers lead market gains
Better-than-expected June quarter earnings propelled Navin Fluorine International and Neuland Laboratories higher by 13.3% and 8.2%, respectively. Meanwhile, Tata Technologies rebounded after two consecutive sessions of losses, surging 6.3% to ₹801 per share.
Defence stocks also witnessed strong buying interest, led by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, which gained 6.3% to ₹2,530 per share. Hindustan Aeronautics, ideaForge Technology, MTAR Technologies, TechEra Engineering, Bharat Dynamics, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), and Zen Technologies also advanced more than 3% each.
Among other gainers, Finolex Cables, Apar Industries, Tata Capital, JM Financial, Aditya Infotech, State Bank of India, Indian Bank, Chalet Hotels, Biocon, Rail Vikas Nigam, and Gland Pharma rose over 2.5% each.
Firstsource slumps; profit booking drags HFCL lower
Among the laggards, Firstsource Solutions topped the losers’ list, plunging 13.4% to ₹294 per share. Blue Star, Saregama India, and Cemindia Projects also came under heavy selling pressure, with each declining more than 4%.
HFCL witnessed profit booking after its recent rally, falling 4% to ₹203 per share.
Bikaji Foods International was another major loser, declining 4% to ₹624 per share.
Other notable losers included Power Grid Corporation, Great Eastern Shipping, Go Digit General Insurance, Gabriel India, Blue Dart Express, Lodha Developers, and BSE, all of which fell more than 3%.
Disclaimer: We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
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