India’s BSE Sensex closed about 0.4% higher at 82,814.7 on Friday after a volatile session, supported in part by a technical rebound following the sharp sell-off in the previous trading day. Overall sentiment remained cautious, weighed down by ongoing US–Iran geopolitical tensions, concerns over potential disruptions from artificial intelligence, and uncertainty surrounding the Federal Reserve’s interest rate-cut trajectory.
On the macroeconomic front, flash PMI data indicated that private-sector activity in India accelerated to a three-month high in February, largely underpinned by robust growth in manufacturing output.
Among the major gainers were NTPC, Larsen & Toubro, Hindustan Unilever, PowerGrid, Tata Steel, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Bharat Electronics, Bajaj Finance, Titan, Maruti Suzuki India, Axis Bank, and IndiGo. On the downside, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, Eternal, HCL Technologies, Bharti Airtel, HDFC Bank, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Adani Ports recorded the steepest losses.
