Sensex, Nifty close week on strong note; banking, pharma lead rally

Core Viewpoint - The Indian stock market indices, Nifty 50 and Sensex, have shown positive momentum, driven by banking and pharmaceutical stocks, amid improving global sentiment and renewed foreign investor interest [1][6]. Market Performance - The Sensex closed at 82,500.82, up by 328.72 points or 0.40%, while the Nifty 50 ended at 25,285.35, gaining 103.55 points or 0.41% [2]. - Both indices recorded weekly gains of approximately 1.5%, with Nifty advancing 1.57% and Sensex climbing 1,290 points, marking their second consecutive week of gains [2]. Sectoral Performance - Nifty Realty and PSU Bank indices were the top gainers, each surging around 1.70%, while Nifty Pharma advanced 1.3% and Nifty Bank increased by 0.74% [3]. - Nifty Metal declined by 0.9%, and Nifty IT slipped by 1.10%, ending as the only major laggards [3]. Individual Stock Movements - Cipla led the Nifty 50 gainers, surging 3.63% to ₹1,568, followed by State Bank of India, which jumped 2.22% to ₹881.25 [4]. - Tata Steel was the top loser, falling 1.46% to ₹173.85, followed by TCS, which declined 1.10% to ₹3,028 [4]. Broader Market Trends - The Nifty Midcap 100 advanced 0.46% to 58,697.40, while the Nifty Next 50 rose 0.24% to 68,687.25 [5]. - Market breadth improved significantly, with 2,424 stocks advancing against 1,766 declines on the BSE [5]. Investor Sentiment and Future Outlook - Positive investor sentiment was bolstered by optimism over a potential India–US trade deal and easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East [6]. - Foreign portfolio investors recorded net purchases of ₹2,830 crore over the past three sessions, indicating strong institutional flows [6]. - Analysts expect the positive momentum to continue, supported by ongoing earnings season and improving macroeconomic indicators, with the Nifty potentially moving towards 25,500–25,550 [7].