Indian equity indices ended lower with the Nifty

Indian equity markets ended lower on August 26, with the Nifty declining 0.52% to close at 24,207.75, while the Sensex fell 183.15 points, or 0.24%, to 77,472.94. The market remained mixed, with selective buying seen in banking and metal stocks, while selling pressure was visible across IT and several other sectors.

, UltraTech Cement and Axis Bank were among the top Nifty gainers, whereas Infosys, Power Grid Corporation and Bharti Airtel were among the major laggards. Sector-wise, metal and private bank indices gained around 1% each, while PSU Banks rose about 0.7%. In contrast, IT and Infrastructure indices declined around 1% each. Auto, consumer durables, energy, FMCG, oil & gas and realty stocks also ended lower. In the broader market, the Nifty Midcap index closed marginally down, while the Smallcap index outperformed and gained around 0.8%, indicating relatively stronger participation in smaller stocks despite the weak headline indices.