Indian stock markets opened flat on Thursday as investors awaited fresh triggers to move beyond the current consolidation phase.
At 9:20 a.m., the Sensex slipped 15 points to 82,619, while the Nifty edged down 2 points to 25,210. However, broader indices outperformed, with the Nifty Midcap 100 gaining 123 points (0.18%) at 59,741, and the Nifty Smallcap 100 rising 70 points (0.37%) to 19,210.
Sectorally, auto, pharma, FMCG, metal, realty, energy, infra, and PSE stocks saw buying interest, whereas IT, PSU banks, financials, and media stocks faced selling pressure.
Among major Sensex movers, Sun Pharma, M&amp;M, Trent, Kotak Mahindra, Tata Motors, and NTPC were gainers, while Tech Mahindra, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Infosys, and HUL slipped into the red.
Analysts noted that optimism around a possible India-US interim trade deal has already been priced in. &ldquo;Only a surprise tariff cut below 20% &mdash; say, 15% &mdash; could trigger a fresh rally,&rdquo; said Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Financial Services.
Asian markets showed mixed trends, with Tokyo, Shanghai, Bangkok, and Jakarta in the green, while Hong Kong and Seoul traded lower. Wall Street closed higher on Wednesday, driven by positive sentiment.
Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) offloaded ₹1,858 crore worth of Indian equities on July 16. In contrast, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) continued their buying streak for the 8th consecutive session, investing ₹1,223 crore.
Analysts remain cautiously optimistic as long as key support levels are maintained.
[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.]
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Sensex, Nifty remain rangebound as investors await fresh trade and tariff signals

Markets Open Flat; Midcaps, Smallcaps Shine

Sensex, Nifty remain rangebound as investors await fresh trade and tariff signals

July 17, 2025 | 15:42 IST