India stocks lower at close of trade; Nifty 50 down 0.18%

Investing.com – India stocks were lower after the close on Monday, as losses in the Real Estate, Banking and Fast Moving Consumer Goods sectors led shares lower.

At the close in NSE, the Nifty 50 declined 0.18%, while the BSE Sensex 30 index lost 0.24%.

The best performers of the session on the Nifty 50 were Bajaj Auto Ltd (NS:BAJA), which rose 2.87% or 179.85 points to trade at 6,455.05 at the close. Meanwhile, Hindalco Industries Ltd. (NS:HALC) added 1.57% or 8.75 points to end at 566.00 and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NS:SUN) was up 1.38% or 17.00 points to 1,252.75 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (NS:PGRD), which fell 2.32% or 5.50 points to trade at 231.85 at the close. ICICI Bank Ltd (NS:ICBK) declined 1.54% or 15.95 points to end at 1,021.45 and ITC Ltd (NS:ITC) was down 1.43% or 6.55 points to 451.65.

The top performers on the BSE Sensex 30 were Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (BO:SUN) which rose 1.25% to 1,251.80, Reliance Industries Ltd (BO:RELI) which was up 0.99% to settle at 2,519.95 and HCL Technologies Ltd (BO:HCLT) which gained 0.74% to close at 1,503.40.

The worst performers were Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (BO:PGRD) which was down 2.34% to 231.90 in late trade, ITC Ltd (BO:ITC) which lost 1.45% to settle at 451.65 and ICICI Bank Ltd (BO:ICBK) which was down 1.25% to 1,024.15 at the close.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the India National Stock Exchange by 1164 to 960 and 57 ended unchanged; on the Bombay Stock Exchange, 2093 rose and 1664 declined, while 137 ended unchanged.

Shares in Bajaj Auto Ltd (NS:BAJA) rose to all time highs; rising 2.87% or 179.85 to 6,455.05. Shares in Hindalco Industries Ltd. (NS:HALC) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 1.57% or 8.75 to 566.00. Shares in Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NS:SUN) rose to all time highs; rising 1.38% or 17.00 to 1,252.75. Shares in Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (BO:SUN) rose to all time highs; up 1.25% or 15.40 to 1,251.80. Shares in HCL Technologies Ltd (BO:HCLT) rose to all time highs; rising 0.74% or 11.00 to 1,503.40.

The India VIX, which measures the implied volatility of Nifty 50 options, was up 5.88% to 13.90 a new 6-months high.

Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.02% or 0.45 to $2,036.15 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February fell 0.95% or 0.68 to hit $71.10 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract fell 0.85% or 0.65 to trade at $75.90 a barrel.

USD/INR was up 0.01% to 83.05, while EUR/INR fell 0.44% to 90.64.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.05% at 102.14.