Indian share markets concluded the last trading day of the financial year (FY25) on a softer note in a volatile trading session. Both Sensex and Nifty, however, posted more than 5 percent gains for the fiscal year.
Sensex fell by 191.51 points, or 0.25 percent, to close at 77,414.92, while Nifty fell 72.60 points, or 0.31 percent, to close at 23,519.35.
While the session saw weakness, the overall frame was a positive one, with the Sensex rising 5.11 percent and the Nifty increasing 5.34 percent during FY25.
Marketplaces will be closed on Monday, March 31, in honor of Eid festivities. Trading will reopen on Tuesday, April 1.
The smallcap and midcap segments were resilient, beating the benchmarks. The Nifty Midcap100 jumped 5.4 percent, while the Nifty Smallcap100 increased 7.48 percent during the fiscal year.
"Recent sessions have seen a bounce back from earlier losses, led by foreign institutional investors (FIIs), who have infused more than ₹30,000 crore in recent days, turning net buyers again," said Krishna Appala of Capitalmind Research.
Appala also pointed to the contribution of domestic institutional investors (DIIs), observing that some buying and selling by them have shaped market direction.
Market breadth was negative as more stocks fell than rose. 2,399 shares finished in the red compared to 1,454 gainers, while 116 stocks were flat.
Among the key losers were Wipro, IndusInd Bank, Shriram Finance, Cipla, and M&M. In contrast, Tata Consumer, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Apollo Hospitals, ONGC, and ICICI Bank ended in the green.
Sector-wise, all indices except FMCG and oil & gas closed in the red. IT, auto, realty, and media sectors were hit hard, falling by 1-2 percent.
The market also witnessed selling pressure, as the BSE Midcap index fell 0.7 percent and the Smallcap index lost 0.4 percent.
The India VIX, popularly known as the "fear index," rose 4.37 percent to 12.72 points on Friday, reflecting heightened volatility in the market.
In the forex market, the Indian rupee gained strength, rising by 32 paise to settle at 85.46 against the US dollar from its last close of 85.78 on Thursday.
"FII inflows have been good, which should continue to remain positive for the sentiment of the rupee," said Jateen Trivedi of LKP Securities.
Gold prices stayed firm in the spot market owing to persistent tariff worries, which supported buying demand. Analysts observed that gold continues to fluctuate between ₹87,500-₹89,750.
A sharp appreciation of the rupee by 30 paise to 85.45 was backed by good FII inflows worth ₹11,111 crore, lifting investor mood and the currency.
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