As anticipation builds for the 2026-27 Union Budget, India’s stock market notched a weekly gain of nearly 1 percent, navigating through choppy waters marked by global uncertainties and geopolitical strains.
The session closed on a subdued note, with investors turning cautious. Ongoing FII outflows combined with a softer rupee led to losses in the week’s last trade.
Nifty gained 1.09 percent overall but dipped 0.39 percent to 25,320. Sensex fell 296 points (0.36 percent) to 81,537, still managing a 0.90 percent weekly uptick.
Sectors showed divergence: consumer services and hardware tech tumbled 2.5-3.7 percent, while FMCG, media, and software declined over 1 percent.
Top performers included metals, oil, and gas, up over 2 percent—though metals corrected sharply by 5 percent+ on Friday. IT faced profit booking due to robust USD, global liquidity concerns, and US Fed ambiguities.
Auto and beverages logged pockets of weakness from competitive pressures. Broader indices excelled: Midcap 100 rose 2.25 percent, Smallcap 100 jumped 3.2 percent.
The week opened softly on tariff worries and uneven corporate results, but India-EU trade pact buzz supported trade plays. Positive economic survey mid-week, highlighting solid growth prospects and inflation control for FY26-27, lifted sentiments.
Looking ahead, the budget looms large. Analysts foresee policy-backed resilience in domestic sectors, with IT and export-oriented stocks staying attuned to international developments.