Market Wrap: Sensex Ends Slightly Lower, Nifty Slips Below 25,150 as Banking Stocks Weigh

Overview Indian equity benchmarks closed on a mixed note as profit-taking in financial counters offset positive sentiment driven by improved U.S.-China trade dialogue and supportive cues from the Reserve Bank of India. The market opened on a strong footing, with nine of the thirteen major sectors posting gains. Sector-wise, banking and financial services witnessed minor pullbacks, while auto, IT, media, metal, and oil & gas sectors saw healthy advances, lending resilience to the broader indices. In the previous session on Monday, the domestic markets ended in the green, with the Nifty scaling an eight-month high and the Bank Nifty hitting a new intraday record. The surge was underpinned by the RBI’s surprise policy easing, robust U.S. employment data, and steady progress in U.S.-India trade discussions