Closing Bell: Sensex, Nifty crack over 1 per cent amid Omicron scare; private banks, financials drag most

Amid the Covid variant Omicron scare, the Indian markets witnessed a selling spree on the last day of the week on Friday. The BSE Sensex slipped over 765 points, while the Nifty failed to hold a key level of 17200-mark, dragged by index heavyweights such as Reliance Industries and private bank stocks. 

The BSE Sensex slipped by 765 points or 1.31 per cent to 57696, while the Nifty down over 204 points or 1.18 per cent to the 17197 level at the market close. On the contrary, broader markets outperformed the benchmarks as mid-cap ended flat with a negative bias, while the small-cap up nearly 1 per cent.  

As many as 12 stocks closed in the green, and 38 stocks in the red on the Nifty50. Power Grid dipped most by around 4 per cent, followed by Reliance Industries down around 3 per cent. While Kotak Bank, Asian Paint, Tech Mahindra, HDFC Life each down between 2-3 per cent at the market close. 

On the contrary, the fertiliser, oil and gas stocks gained most in the otherwise negative market, in this regard, UPL become the top gainer, up nearly 2 per cent, followed by BPCL, IOC and ONGC each between 1-2 per cent at the market close on Friday.