Markets End Lower in Holiday-Shortened Week; Dilip Buildcon, NBCC, Apollo Micro in focus

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New Delhi: Indian equity benchmark indices ended Friday’s session in the red, extending weakness amid a lack of fresh triggers during the holiday-shortened trading week.

The BSE Sensex closed 367 points lower, slipping 0.4%, while the NSE Nifty50 declined by 99 points, also down 0.4%. Persistent selling pressure in IT and auto stocks, along with Sensex expiry-related volatility, weighed on investor sentiment.

Among sectoral indices, metal stocks were the only gainers, while most other sectors traded in negative territory. IT and telecom stocks witnessed notable selling. The BSE MidCap index ended 0.2% lower, and the BSE SmallCap index slipped 0.3%.

On the stock-specific front, Titan Company, NTPC, and Reliance Industries emerged as the top gainers. Meanwhile, ITC, Asian Paints, and HCL Technologies featured among the day’s top losers.

Market commentary also drew attention to insights from Equitymaster Research Analyst Raul Shah, who referenced investor Howard Marks’ views on the AI boom. Shah highlighted that certain market bubbles, while risky, can accelerate the growth of transformative technologies like artificial intelligence, even if valuations rise sharply in the early stages.

Top Buzzing Stocks Today

• Dilip Buildcon gained attention after securing two new infrastructure projects, strengthening its order book.
• NBCC (India) was in focus after announcing two major development projects, boosting investor interest.
• Apollo Micro Systems shares were actively tracked after the company received orders worth ₹1 billion for supplying Unmanned Aerial Systems.
• Adani Power also remained in the spotlight after the company announced a significant expansion of its long-term capacity target to 41.87 GW by FY32, alongside a planned capital expenditure of around ₹2,000 billion.