Nifty Slips Below 25,700 as Profit Booking Caps Rally; IT Stocks Shine

The Indian stock market ended with marginal gains on Friday, with the Nifty settling below the 25,700 mark. The session saw positive momentum driven by better-than-expected Q3 results from IT and banking stocks, though profit booking towards the close capped the rally. Analysts noted the market is in a phase of stabilisation after recent volatility, with IT stocks leading the advance. Technical charts suggest a bullish outlook for the Bank Nifty index, with immediate support near 59,500 levels.

Key Points: Stock Market Update: Nifty Below 25,700, Sensex Gains Marginally

  • Nifty closed below 25,700
  • IT sector led gains on strong results
  • Profit booking limited market advance
  • Banking stocks showed relative strength
3 min read

Stock market witnesses selling pressure, Nifty slips below 25,700 mark

Indian markets closed with marginal gains as profit booking capped a rally driven by strong IT and banking results. Analysts see a phase of stabilisation.

"The equity markets witnessed positive momentum... driven by better Q3 results from IT and mid-segment banking stocks. - Vinod Nair"

Mumbai, January 16

Indian stock market saw selling pressure on Friday with Nifty slipping below the 25,700 mark, and Sensex remained marginally higher after shedding close to 600 points from the day's high.

At the time of market closing, Sensex was 188 points, or 0.23 per cent, higher at 83,570.35. On the other hand, Nifty 50 settled at 25,694.35, up 29 points, or 0.11 per cent.

Rupee weakened sharply by 48 paise to 90.82, extending losses.

Analysts believe that the market witnessed positive momentum during the session, driven by better Q3 results, and reflected a phase of stabilisation after recent volatility.

Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited said, "The equity markets witnessed positive momentum during the session, driven by better Q3 results from IT and mid-segment banking stocks. However, profit booking towards the close capped the rally, resulting only in marginal gains for the market. The IT sector outperformed, supported by an upward revision in revenue growth projections from a leading industry bellwether, coupled with expectations of increased technology spending."

"Meanwhile, investor focus also shifted to banking counters, as early results reflected notable improvements in asset quality and margin profiles, further strengthening sentiment in the sector," he added.

Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, said, "Indian equity markets closed marginally positive today, reflecting a phase of stabilisation after recent volatility. Improved global risk sentiment and selective buying in heavyweight stocks supported the indices, even as broader participation remained cautious. IT stocks led the advance following strong Q3 numbers and upgraded guidance from Infosys, reinforcing confidence in large-cap earnings visibility."

"Banking and PSU banks continued to display relative strength, helping Bank Nifty outperform. That said, the overall tone remained balanced rather than aggressive. Global macro uncertainties ranging from interest rate trajectory concerns to geopolitical risks and commodity price fluctuations--kept investors selective," Ponmudi added.

Vatsal Bhuva, Technical Analyst at LKP Securiti said, "Today's session added a positive tone to the overall chart structure of the Bank Nifty index, which was consolidating above its falling trendline breakout levels. The index posted a confident close, forming a bullish candlestick, while the RSI confirmed strength with a bullish crossover and is currently placed near 61. Considering the above technical setup, the outlook remains bullish. Immediate support is placed near 59,500 levels, aligned with the current position of the 20-day SMA. On the upside, the index is expected to test the 60,500 resistance zone. A buy-on-dips approach should be maintained as long as the index sustains above 59,200 levels."

Sudeep Shah, Head - Technical and Derivatives Research at SBI Securities said, "On the sectoral front, Nifty IT ended the day as the top sectoral gainer, with a gain of 3.34 per cent, followed by Nifty Capital Market. On the other hand, Nifty Pharma and Nifty CPSE emerged as the top two sectoral losers. With regards to stocks, Infosys & Tech Mahindra emerged as the top stock gainers amongst the Nifty pack while Eternal & Jio Financial Services emerged as the top two losers."

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The rupee weakening is a bit worrying for importers like us. 48 paise is a sharp move. Hope RBI steps in if it gets too volatile. On the bright side, IT companies will benefit from this. Mixed day overall.
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Vikram M
Sensex up 188 points but Nifty below 25,700? Shows the broader market is still under pressure. Only a few heavyweights are pulling the index. My mid-cap and small-cap funds are still in the red from last week's fall. Need patience.
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Sarah B
As a long-term investor, these small daily fluctuations don't bother me much. The important thing is the Q3 results are showing improvement, especially in banking asset quality. That's a very healthy sign for the economy's foundation. Staying invested.
R
Rohit P
Technical analysis says buy on dips but my gut says wait. Global uncertainties are too many right now. Geopolitical risks, commodity prices... it's better to have some cash on hand. Missed the IT rally today though 😅
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Karthik V
Respectfully, I feel the article and analysts are putting a very positive spin on what was essentially a flat day with selling pressure. "Stabilisation" is a nice word, but retail investors are still nervous. The communication should be more balanced about the real risks ahead.
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