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The Indian stock market benchmarks- the Sensex and the Nifty 50- ended flat with negative biases on Thursday, December 18, due to a lack of fresh triggers. The Sensex closed 78 points, or 0.09%, lower at 84,481.81, while the Nifty 50 settled at 25,815.55, down 3 points, or 0.01%. The BSE Midcap index ended with modest gains of 0.05%, while the Smallcap index fell 0.28%. IT stocks, including Infosys, TCS, and Tech Mahindra, were key support for the Sensex. On the other hand, select heavyweights such as HDFC Bank, Sun Pharma, and Bharti Airtel remained the top drags on the index.

The domestic market remained in the consolidation mode for the fourth consecutive session. In these four sessions, the Sensex has declined by almost 800 points, or nearly 1%, while the Nifty 50, too, has retreated by 1%.

The domestic market lacks fresh positive triggers to see a trend reversal. Persisting concerns over the rupee's weakness, foreign capital outflow, and uncertainty over an India-US trade deal continue weighing on sentiment.

"Lingering uncertainty over a potential U.S.–India trade deal dampened sentiment, prompting profit-booking later in the day. Markets will focus on U.S. core inflation and jobless claims data, alongside interest rate decisions from the BoE, ECB, and Bank of Japan, for clearer directional cues," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments.

InterGlobe Aviation (up 2.90%), TCS (up 1.97%), and Max Healthcare Institute (up 1.64%) ended as the top gainers in the index.

Sun Pharma (down 2.62%), Tata Steel (down 1.40%), and Power Grid Corporation (down 1.23%) ended as the top losers in the index.

Sectoral indices ended mixed, with Nifty IT (up 1.21%) stealing the show. Nifty Consumer Durables (up 0.37%), Realty (up 0.34%), and Metal (up 0.25%) also ended in the green.

Among the losers, Nifty Media (down 1.27%) was at the top. Nifty Auto (down 0.61%), Oil and Gas (down 0.33%), and Pharma (down 0.24%) also ended lower.

Nifty Bank slipped by 0.02%, while the Financial Services index inched up by 0.06%.

Vodafone Idea (88.9 crore shares), Meesho (29.9 crore shares), and Ola Electric Mobility (18.5 crore shares) were the most active stocks in terms of volume on the NSE.

TCI Finance, Antony Waste Handling Cell, NDA Securities, Sonal Mercantile, and Rudra Global Infra Products were among the 14 stocks that surged more than 15% on the BSE despite weak stock market sentiment.

Out of 4,332 stocks traded on the BSE, 1,629 advanced, while 2,509 declined. Some 194 stocks remained unchanged.

(This is a developing story. Please check back for fresh updates.)

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stories by Nishant Kumar

Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations expressed are those of individual analysts or broking firms, not Mint. We advise investors to consult with certified experts before making any investment decisions, as market conditions can change rapidly and circumstances may vary.

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