Sensex slips 129 points, Nifty ends at 11,073

Domestic stock market indices ended the day in red on Friday dragged by heavyweights like Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank and auto stocks.

The S&P BSE Sensex ended 129 points or 0.34 per cent lower at 37,607 while the Nifty50 index gave up the 11,100-mark to settle at 11,073, down 29 points or 0.26 per cent.

Broader markets outperformed the benchmarks, Nifty Midcap100 and Nifty Smallcap100 indexes ended the day in green, up 0.43 percent and 0.83 percent higher respectively.

Nifty Pharma remained the best-performing index of the day, up 3.56 percent followed by Nifty Metal and Nifty FMCG. Nifty Media was the worst-performing index of the day, closing 0.87 percent lower.

Global markets

Asian shares turned lower in a choppy session on Friday as abysmal economic data from the United States and rising global Covid-19 cases darkened the mood, despite strong US tech earnings and manufacturing recoveries in China and Japan.

European shares were expected to open broadly lower across the board, with Euro Stoxx 50 futures down 0.28 per cent, German DAX futures 0.49 per cent lower and FTSE futures off 0.08 per cent.

The US dollar was also set for its worst month in a decade amid expectations the Fed will maintain its ultra-loose monetary policy for years.

In commodities, oil prices rose and were on track for monthly gains, boosted by a weaker dollar in the face of continuing concerns over the recovery of the US economy as the coronavirus ravages the world’s biggest economy and oil consumer.

(With inputs from agencies)