The BSE Sensex fell 367 points, or 0.4%, to end at 85,041.45, while the NSE Nifty 50 declined 0.4% to 26,042.3, slipping below the 26,050 mark.
On the 30-stock Sensex, shares of Bajaj Finance, Asian Paints, Eternal, Sun Pharma and Tech Mahindra were among the biggest drags, each falling between 1% and 1.5%.
Friday’s decline pared weekly gains for the benchmark indices. The Nifty 50 rose 0.3% for the week, while the Sensex added 0.1%, snapping a three-week losing streak.
Beyond the blue chips, performance was mixed, small-cap stocks advanced 1.8% over the week, while mid-cap shares ended little changed.
Expert views
Domestic equities ended lower today as thin year‑end trading volumes and a cautious mood ahead of upcoming earnings prompted broad-based profit booking, said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Investments, adding that the optimism around the Santa Claus rally has diminished amid the absence of fresh catalysts, such as progress on a possible U.S.‑India trade agreement, while continued FII outflows weighed on the Indian rupee.
“Large‑cap stocks underperformed mid- and small-cap counterparts, though selective strength persisted in metals and consumer durable stocks, while IT, autos, and banks, witnessed sustained selling pressure,” said Nair.
Global Markets
Asian equities pushed higher on Friday, with regional benchmarks touching their strongest levels in six weeks, as investors looked to cap the year on a firmer note even as a softer yen kept currency intervention risks in focus.
Trading conditions were thin, with markets in Australia, Hong Kong and much of Europe closed. Still, risk appetite improved this week as investors attempted a year-end rally.
Japan’s Topix index climbed to a record high and was last up about 0.5%. South Korea’s benchmark rose 0.6%, extending its advance for the year to roughly 72% and cementing its position as the world’s best-performing major equity market in 2025.
Chinese blue-chip shares also edged higher, with the index up 0.27% and on track for an 18% gain for the year, its strongest annual performance since 2020.
The moves lifted MSCI’s broad Asia-Pacific index to its highest level since mid-November. The gauge was last up 0.4% and has risen about 25% so far this year.
Crude impact
Oil prices were little changed on Friday as investors assessed fresh geopolitical risks amid thin post-Christmas trading. Markets digested reports of U.S. airstrikes targeting Islamic State militants in Nigeria, alongside stepped-up economic pressure on Venezuelan oil exports, even as broader participation remained subdued.
Brent crude futures edged up 12 cents, or 0.19%, to $62.36 a barrel by 1016 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained 19 cents, or 0.33%, to $58.54.
Rupee vs Dollar
The Indian rupee weakened on Friday, slipping 15 paise to a provisional close of 89.86 against the U.S. dollar, pressured by declines in domestic equities and continued foreign fund outflows.
The dollar, meanwhile, held firm. The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, was up 0.10% at 98.07.
(with inputs from agencies)
