The key equity indices witnessed small gains in afternoon trade, tracking positive global cues. The Nifty traded above the 25,100 level. Pharma shares extended gains for the fifth consecutive trading session.
At 14:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, added 5.21 points or 0.01% to 82,450.29. The Nifty 50 index rose 23.25 points or 0.09% to 25,126.25.
The broader market outperformed the frontline indices. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.05% and the S&P BSE Small-Cap index added 0.21%.
The market breadth was positive. On the BSE, 2,180 shares rose and 1,784 shares fell. A total of 160 shares were unchanged.
The NSE's India VIX, a gauge of the market's expectation of volatility over the near term, fell 4.59% to 14.02.
Buzzing Index:
The Nifty Pharma index rose 0.52% to 21,941.10. The index gained 2.75% in five consecutive trading sessions.
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (up 2.86%), Natco Pharma (up 1.83%), Alkem Laboratories (up 1.73%), Torrent Pharmaceuticals (up 1.71%), Glenmark Pharmaceuticals (up 1.29%), Biocon (up 1.27%), Granules India (up 1.16%), Aurobindo Pharma (up 0.68%), Zydus Lifesciences (up 0.62%), and Lupin (up 0.61%) advanced.
On the other hand, Ajanta Pharma (down 0.82%), Ipca Laboratories (down 0.78%), and Abbott India (down 0.57%) edged lower.
Numbers to Track:
The yield on India's 10-year benchmark federal paper rose 0.11% to 6.286 from the previous close of 6.280.
In the foreign exchange market, the rupee edged higher against the dollar. The partially convertible rupee was hovering at 85.6250 compared with its close of 85.6675 during the previous trading session.
MCX Gold futures for 5 August 2025 settlement shed 0.22% to Rs 96,958.
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the greenback's value against a basket of currencies, was up 0.13% to 99.14.
The United States 10-year bond yield fell 0.80% to 4.449.