Nifty, Sensex edge lower after a flat start; Metal and IT shares advance; VIX surges 5%

Monday, December 29, 2025: Indian equity benchmarks opened on a flat note with a slight positive undertone on Monday, tracking muted domestic and global signals. Metal and information technology stocks outperformed in early trade. By 10:450 AM, the Nifty 50 was trading at 26,010.00, down 4.20 points or 0.060 per cent, while the Sensex stood at 84,870, slipping 144.91 points or 0.06 per cent. On the Sensex,

, , , , Bank, , and emerged as the top gainers, rising as much as 1.12 per cent. In contrast, Adani Ports, Bajaj Finserv, Axis Bank, , and featured among the major laggards. Broader markets also traded marginally in the red, with the Nifty Midcap index declining 0.05 per cent, while the Nifty Smallcap index slipped 0.06 per cent. From a sectoral perspective, Nifty Metal led the gains with a rise of 1.1 per cent, followed by IT and PSU Bank indices. Meanwhile, Media, FMCG, and Realty stocks remained under pressure and ended among the top sectoral losers. On the domestic macro front, investors are awaiting the release of industrial production (IIP) data for November, scheduled later in the day. Asian markets traded on a mixed note, while the global equity benchmark hovered near record highs. The MSCI AC Asia Pacific Index gained 0.38 per cent, driven by advances in South Korea’s Kospi and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing.