Stock market indices ended higher on Wednesday as gains in banking and information technology stocks outweighed weakness in select auto and consumer shares.
The BSE Sensex advanced 130 points to close at 77,185, while the NSE Nifty 50 added 26 points to settle at 24,078, extending its hold above the 24,050 level.
Among the top gainers on the Sensex were Infosys, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Tech Mahindra and Axis Bank, supported by buying in IT and financial stocks. On the losing side, Tata Motors, Trent, Titan Company, Mahindra & Mahindra and Sun Pharma ended lower, limiting the day’s gains.
Markets traded in a narrow range for most of the session as investors remained cautious ahead of more June-quarter earnings announcements. Strong interest in banking counters and expectations of healthy earnings from large IT companies helped keep sentiment positive despite mixed global cues.
Analysts said investors are closely tracking corporate earnings for signs of demand recovery and profit growth across sectors. Management commentary over the next few weeks is expected to influence market direction.
Global sentiment remained mixed as investors assessed developments related to trade, interest rate expectations and geopolitical tensions. Despite these uncertainties, domestic equities continued to find support from institutional buying and confidence in India’s economic outlook.
The broader market witnessed stock-specific action, with financial and technology counters attracting buying while profit booking emerged in parts of the automobile and consumer sectors.