Mumbai, Dec 15 (IANS) Indian stock markets recovered from early losses on Monday but finally ended slightly lower as weak cues from global markets kept investor sentiment cautious.

At the close of trade, the Sensex ended at 85,213.36, down 54.30 points or 0.06 per cent. The Nifty also finished in the red, settling at 26,027.30, a loss of 19.65 points or 0.08 per cent.

Selling pressure was seen in several heavyweights on the Sensex. Shares of Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Bajaj Finserv, Titan, HDFC Bank, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finance, Power Grid and NTPC ended as the top losers.

On the other hand, only a handful of stocks managed to close higher, with Hindustan Unilever, Trent, HCL Technologies, Infosys and Asian Paints ending in the green.

The broader market showed mixed trends. The Nifty Midcap index slipped 0.12 per cent, while the Nifty Smallcap index outperformed the benchmarks and rose 0.21 per cent.

Sector-wise, auto stocks came under the most pressure, with the Nifty Auto index falling 0.91 per cent. The Nifty Pharma index also ended lower, down 0.4 per cent.

In contrast, media and FMCG stocks saw buying interest, with the Nifty Media index jumping 1.79 per cent and the Nifty FMCG index gaining 0.69 per cent.

Analsysts said that the market participants remained cautious through the session, tracking weak global cues and awaiting further clarity on overseas market trends.

“Persistent foreign fund outflows and a weak rupee have kept markets in a narrow range, with currency volatility likely to continue until clarity emerges on the India–US trade deal,” market watchers stated.

“Going forward, market momentum is expected to be earnings-led rather than valuation-driven. Investors are also awaiting key economic indicators, including U.S. CPI inflation and unemployment data, which will shape global liquidity expectations and the interest rate outlook for 2026,” experts mentioned.

–IANS

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