Profit Booking Drags Nifty, but Asian Paints Adds Color to the Session

The Nifty 50 extended losses for the second consecutive session, slipping below the 25,500 mark intraday before closing slightly higher at 25,509. The broader market sentiment remained cautious amid profit booking in select heavyweight stocks.

m Industries led the losers, tumbling over 6%, while Asian Paints provided a bright spot, surging more than 4% to scale an 11-month high. Sectoral performance was mixed, with FMCG and consumer names showing resilience even as metals and cement counters dragged the index lower. Overall, investors adopted a wait-and-watch approach amid global market cues and earnings reactions.