Benchmark equity indices hovered just above the flatline in afternoon trading on Friday. The Sensex dipped by 3.68 points, or 0.00 percent, to settle at 80,979.63, while the Nifty 50 decreased by 4.85 points, or 0.02 percent, to 24,831.45 at 1:05 PM. This movement followed the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) announcement of a growth-supportive monetary policy the previous day.
The RBI opted to keep the repo rate steady at 5.5 percent, adjusting its inflation forecast for FY26 downward to 2.6 percent from 3.1 percent. In contrast, the central bank raised its GDP growth expectation to 6.8 percent from an earlier estimate of 6.5 percent. This policy shift enhanced investor sentiment, particularly benefiting metal and banking sectors, and allowing markets to recover from an initially weaker start.
Metal stocks were among the top gainers, with Tata Steel increasing by 4.09 percent to ₹174.36 and Hindalco rising by 2.70 percent to ₹786.60. JSW Steel also gained, climbing 1.52 percent to ₹1,163.50. Additionally, Power Grid Corporation rose by 2.10 percent to ₹286.55, while Kotak Mahindra Bank added 1.38 percent to ₹2,091.70, buoyed by expectations of increased credit growth stemming from the RBI’s optimistic economic outlook.
On the other hand, Max Healthcare led the decliners, dropping 3.85 percent to ₹1,070.30. SBI Life Insurance fell by 1.68 percent to ₹1,770.80, and Coal India was down 1.56 percent, closing at ₹382.45. Trent and Bajaj Finserv also witnessed declines, falling 1.08 percent to ₹4,780.00 and 1.04 percent to ₹1,986.20, respectively.
Market breadth remained positive, with 2,377 stocks advancing against 1,621 that declined on the BSE. A total of 194 stocks remained unchanged. Moreover, 165 stocks reached 52-week highs, while 70 hit 52-week lows. Additionally, 211 stocks were locked in upper circuit limits, compared to 161 in lower circuit restrictions.
Sectoral indices exhibited mixed performance, with Nifty Bank increasing by 0.37 percent to 55,554.40 and Nifty Next 50 up by 0.20 percent at 68,224.25. Nifty Financial Services experienced a slight decline, down 0.04 percent to 26,370.70.
Foreign institutional investors sold equities worth ₹1,605 crore on October 1, whereas domestic institutional investors purchased ₹2,916 crore, offering support to the market. Analysts indicated that the Nifty is targeting the 25,000 mark as its next resistance level, bolstered by positive global cues and low volatility, although some profit-taking may occur ahead of the weekend.
Published on October 3, 2025.
