Indian equity benchmarks declined in Monday’s session, dragged by IT stocks and heavyweight HDFC Bank. The Nifty 50 ended the day 78 points or 0.30% lower at 26,250. The BSE Sensex pulled back 322 points or 0.38% to end at 85,440.
Similarly, the Nifty Bank settled 107 points or 0.18% lower at 60,044. The mid- and small-cap stocks also closed the trade flat. The BSE Midcap finished 24 points or 0.05% higher at 47,563.58. However, the BSE Smallcap finished 35 points or 0.07% higher at 51,954.77.
“Domestic markets began the first full week of 2026 on a cautious footing, as Indian 10-year bond yields reflected expectations of elevated government borrowing. On a positive note, December GST collections saw a rebound after November’s dip, while the manufacturing PMI moderated but stayed firmly in expansionary territory. Early Q3 trends in bank credit/advances indicate strong momentum, supporting overall optimism,” said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Investments.
“Globally, investors are awaiting key U.S. economic data and Fed guidance, while the BoJ reaffirmed its tightening stance. Looking ahead, Q3 earnings will dominate focus and guide near-term market trends, with sentiment remaining moderately positive,” added Nair.
Big highlights from today’s market action-
Indices in intraday trade
The indices closed the trade on a lower note. During the session, out of 3,258 trading stocks, 1,208 advanced, while 1,943 declined, and 107 remained unchanged. Today, 129 stocks hit a fresh 52-week high. Meanwhile, 85 stocks touched a new 52-week low.
Top gainers
Nestle India was the top gainer in the Nifty 50 in Monday’s session, closing 2.76% higher. It was followed by BEL, Eicher Motors, Hindustan Unilever, and Tata Steel.
Top losers
HDFC Bank shares were the biggest losers in today’s trade, falling 2.31%. It was followed by Wipro, Infosys, HCL Technologies, and ONGC were the only losers.
Top sectors in Monday’s trade
The space sector’s stocks rose the most in Monday’s trade, rising 2.4% in the market capitalisation. Further, defence stocks were followed by the food processing sector stocks, which were further followed by the plastics sector stocks. However, the restaurant sector stocks fell the most.
Best and worst performing business groups
The Yash Birla Group’s market cap rose the most in today’s session, rising 4.25%. It was followed by the Avantha Group. Apart from that, Muthoot Group’s market capitalisation rose the most, increasing 2.64%. In the list of Muthoot Group stocks, Muthoot Finance’s share rallied 2.65%.