Closing Bell: Markets snap 6-day falling streak; Sensex up 237 points, Nifty settle at 15350 - FMCG and Financial stocks gain most

The Indian markets snapped a six-day falling streak on Monday, as both the benchmark indices – Sensex and Nifty50 – gained nearly 0.5 per cent at the close, led by FMCG and IT stocks. 

At the market close, the BSE Sensex was up 237 points or 0.46 per cent to 51598, while Nifty50 was up 73 points or 0.45 per cent to 15350 levels. Underperforming to the benchmarks, the broader markets such as Nifty Mid and Small-cap 100 slipped over 2 and 3 per cent respectively at the close. 

As many as 27 stocks on Nifty50 advanced, while 23 declined at the close. HDFC Bank become a top gainer, up nearly 4 per cent, followed by Hindustan Unilever, which also gained nearly 4 per cent.

While heavyweights such as Britannia, Wipro Asian Paints, Apollo Hospitals, and UltraTech Cement each gained around 3 per cent at the market close.

On the contrary, ONGC become the top Nifty loser on lower crude oil prices, down almost 5 per cent, followed by Tata Steel down over 4.5 per cent, while UPL and Hindalco slipped over 3 per cent and IndusInd Bank dipped over 2.5 per cent at the market close.

Six Nifty stocks including Axis Bank, BPCL, and Hindalco hit fresh 52-week lows. Vedanta posts biggest one-day fall in 18 months on Tuticorin plant sale. Vedanta, Rain Industries, Bandhan, Hind Copper, and GNFC slipped more than 10 per cent each.

Energy companies’ shares declined on tracking fall in crude prices, as Chennai Petro and MRPL close with cuts of 14-18 per cent, even state-owned upstream company Oil India witnessed weakness.

Sectorally, the FMCG index jumped most by nearly 2 per cent, while the Financial index up nearly 1 per cent, while the Nifty Metal and Realty indices tried to drag the market most, as both fell by around 4 and 2 per cent at the market close on Monday.