FX.co ★ Indian Stocks End on Lower Note

The BSE Sensex in India concluded trading approximately 0.4% lower at 84,212 on Friday, undergoing profit-booking following a six-day surge that propelled the index to its highest position since September of last year. The market's mood was tempered by global uncertainties ahead of significant US economic data announcements. Traders adopted a more cautious approach regarding prospects for a US-India trade agreement, particularly after Trade Minister Piyush Goyal emphasized that India wouldn't hastily enter agreements that impose restrictive conditions on its trading capabilities. Domestically, preliminary data indicated that private sector growth in India slowed to a five-month low due to softer new order inflow, with foreign demand expanding at its most sluggish rate since March. On the corporate front, Hindustan Unilever led the decline, dropping 3.2% after reporting a 4% year-on-year increase in consolidated net profit for Q2 FY26. Other significant decliners included Adani Ports, UltraTech Cement, and Titan. In contrast, ICICI Bank, Bharti Airtel, Bharat Electronics, and Sun Pharma emerged as the top performers.