The key equity benchmark traded with modest losses in early afternoon trade, as mixed global sentiment weighed on investor confidence. The Nifty traded below the 25,500 level. Metal stocks extend gains for the second straight session.
At 12:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, declined 155.20 points or 0.19% to 83,542.09. The Nifty 50 index lost 47.90 points or 0.19% to 25,493.90.
The broader market underperformed the frontline indices. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index declined 0.10% and the S&P BSE Small-Cap index fell 0.17%.
The market breadth was negative. On the BSE, 1,749 shares rose and 2,096 shares fell. A total of 165 shares were unchanged.
Derivatives:
The NSE's India VIX, a gauge of the market's expectation of volatility over the near term, shed 0.35% to 12.48. The Nifty 31 July 2025 futures were trading at 25,589.10, at a premium of 95.2 points as compared with the spot at 25,493.90.
The Nifty option chain for the 31 July 2025 expiry showed a maximum call OI of 43.4 lakh contracts at the 26,000 strike price. Maximum put OI of 66.6 lakh contracts was seen at the 25,000 strike price.
Buzzing Index:
The Nifty Metal index rose 1.67% to 9,724.40. The index gained 1.99% in two consecutive trading sessions.
JSW Steel (up 2.87%), Tata Steel (up 2.85%), Welspun Corp (up 2.73%), Jindal Steel & Power (up 2.56%), National Aluminium Company (up 2.4%), Steel Authority of India (up 2.34%), Vedanta (up 1.22%), Hindalco Industries (up 1.21%), Jindal Stainless (up 0.8%) and Hindustan Zinc (up 0.48%) advanced.
On the other hand, Lloyds Metals & Energy (down 2.06%), APL Apollo Tubes (down 1.39%) and NMDC (down 0.1%) edged lower.
Stocks in Spotlight:
RITES rallied 6.05% after the company announced that it has secured two orders, one from an international entity and another through a domestic joint venture.
Keystone Realtors jumped 4.26% after the company announced that it has been selected by 8 housing societies as the developer for the large-scale cluster redevelopment project in Andheri West, Mumbai.