Closing Bell: Nifty Ends at 24,631, Sensex 57 Points Higher

Markets End Flat Ahead of Independence Day; IT, Consumer Durables Cushion Losses in Metals and Energy Mumbai, August 14, 2025 — Indian equity benchmarks ended Thursday’s session marginally higher in a range-bound trade, as investors maintained a cautious stance ahead of the extended Independence Day weekend. The NSE Nifty 50 settled at 24,631.30, up 11.95 points (0.05%), while the BSE Sensex closed at 80,597.66, gaining 57.75 points (0.07%). Trading activity remained subdued, influenced by the weekly Nifty options expiry and a lack of strong directional cues. Broader market indices underperformed, with both the Nifty Midcap and Smallcap indices ending in the red. Sectoral Performance Sector-wise trends were mixed. The metal index led the declines with a 1.39% drop, followed by oil & gas (-0.91%) and realty (-0.76%). On the positive side, consumer durables gained 0.75% and the IT sector added 0.40%, supported by selective buying in large-cap technology stocks. Stock Action Among individual stocks, Tata Steel witnessed intraday selling pressure but recovered to close slightly higher at ₹156.40. Adani Ports and Hero MotoCorp ended lower. In contrast, Eternal, Infosys, Asian Paints, and Wipro registered gains, buoyed by sectoral strength in IT and consumer durables. Market Sentiment Analysts noted that the day’s muted moves reflected investors’ reluctance to take large positions before the mid-week market holiday on August 15. “We saw limited participation as traders preferred to book profits and keep risk light ahead of the holiday and amid mixed global cues,” said a market strategist. Outlook Market watchers expect near-term volatility to stay subdued in the absence of major domestic triggers, though global developments and institutional flows could influence direction once trading resumes after the Independence Day break.