The stock market, in the volatile last session of the week and the month, ended on a flat note on Friday. After hitting fresh all-time highs in the previous session, the benchmark indices entered a consolidation phase in the early trade as the traders booked profits at higher levels.
The Nifty 50 index opened at 26,237.45, gaining 21.90 points (0.08%), while the BSE Sensex opened at 85,791.55, up 71.17 points (0.08%).
At close, the Sensex was down 13.71 points or 0.02% at 85,706.67, and the Nifty was down 12.60 points or 0.05% at 26,202.95.
On Thursday, the Sensex rose over 400 points, or 0.50%, to a record high of 86,055.86, while the Nifty 50 gained 0.40% to hit an all-time high of 26,310.45.
Among the sectors, Nifty Bank ended with a nominal gain of 0.03% at 59,752.70 after hitting a record high of 59,897.50 during the session.
Further, Nifty Auto, Pharma, and Media clocked healthy gains of 0.62%, 0.59%, and 0.55%, respectively, while the Nifty Oil and Gas fell 0.69%.
On Nifty, the top gainers were Mahindra & Mahindra (2.17%), Adani Enterprises (1.20%), and Sun Pharma (1.20%).
Shares of SBI Life Insurance Company (1.72%), HDFC Life Insurance Company (1.36%), and Power Grid Corporation (1.35%) ended as the top losers in the index.
On the BSE, 117 stocks hit their 52-week highs while as many as 161 stocks, hit their 52-week lows in intraday trade on the BSE.
Those on the highs were Reliance Industries, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, Cummins India, Hero MotoCorp, Samvardhana Motherson International, and Shriram Finance. On the other hand, Praj Industries, Page Industries, KNR Constructions, Galaxy Surfactants, and Deepak Nitrite, hit their 52-week lows.
Around 1945 shares advanced, 2023 shares declined, and 152 shares unchanged with the BSE Midcap and smallcap indices ended on a flat note.
Indian rupee ended 15 paise lower at 89.45 per dollar on Friday against previous close of 89.30.
Market sentiment was supported by softer US inflation data, easing global bond yields, and steady FPI inflows, which collectively strengthened banking participation.
On a weekly basis, the benchmarks logged their third consecutive week of gains, rising around half a per cent. Volatility in the rupee and selective selling in PSU banks kept traders cautious.