The Indian stock market closed marginally lower on Thursday, showcasing notable resilience despite the imposition of tariffs by the United States. Buoyed by strong buying in FMCG stocks, the market managed to avoid a steep sell-off in an otherwise volatile session marked by monthly derivatives expiry.
The Sensex ended at 81,185.58, down 296.28 points or 0.36%, after opening sharply lower at 80,695.50. The index made a partial recovery, climbing to an intraday high of 81,803.27 before losing momentum in the final hour. The Nifty 50 slipped 86.70 points or 0.35% to settle at 24,768.35.
Analysts noted that India&rsquo;s market response reflects underlying economic strength, with investor focus shifting to domestically-oriented and less globally-exposed sectors.
Among the top losers were Tata Steel, Sun Pharma, NTPC, Reliance, Asian Paints, L&amp;T, and Titan. In contrast, Hindustan Unilever, ITC, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Eternal closed in positive territory, helping cushion broader losses.
Broader markets also experienced selling pressure:
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<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="1528" data-end="1556">
Nifty 100 fell 0.38%
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<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="1557" data-end="1595">
Nifty Midcap 100 dropped 0.93%
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<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="1596" data-end="1635">
Nifty Smallcap 100 declined 1.05%
</li>
</ul>
Amid the bearish sentiment, the Nifty FMCG index surged 1.44%, led by Hindustan Unilever, which rallied after posting healthy Q1 earnings.
Other key sector indices closed in the red, with Nifty Auto down 89 points, Nifty IT down 180 points, and Nifty Bank off 188 points.
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"Investors gravitated toward non-discretionary FMCG players offering value, stable demand, and lower exposure to global risks," said analysts.
</blockquote>
Despite external headwinds and expiry-related volatility, domestic demand optimism and sector-specific gains helped the market end with only minor losses.

Indian Markets Dip Slightly Despite US Tariffs

FMCG sector offers support as Sensex, Nifty show resilience

Indian Markets Dip Slightly Despite US Tariffs

FMCG sector offers support as Sensex, Nifty show resilience

July 31, 2025 | 21:48 IST