Stock Market Closing Bell: Sensex ends 450 pts higher, Nifty closes above 26,040 as metal stocks rally; silver crosses Rs 2 lakh/kg

Stock Market Closing Bell: Benchmark indices extended their winning streak to a second straight session on Friday, supported by a firm global market rally and strong buying in metal counters. Sentiment was also buoyed by optimism around the India–US trade talks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s conversation with US President Donald Trump on Thursday, where both leaders discussed strengthening economic ties.

The BSE Sensex closed at 85,267.66, up 449.53 points or 0.53 per cent, while the Nifty50 settled at 26,046.95, gaining 148.40 points or 0.57 per cent.

Metal stocks lead gains; Tata Steel, Eternal, UltraTech among top performers

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Tata Steel, Eternal, UltraTech Cement, L&T, Maruti Suzuki, Bharti Airtel, Adani Ports, Axis Bank and Bajaj Finance were among the top gainers on the Nifty, with metals and cyclicals driving the day’s upmove.

Defensives under pressure; FMCG and pharma slip on profit booking

HUL, Sun Pharma, Asian Paints, ITC, Power Grid and HCL Tech witnessed selling pressure as investors booked profits in defensives, keeping index gains in check.

Broader markets outperform frontline indices

Broader market sentiment remained upbeat, with the Nifty MidCap index rising 1.18 per cent and the Nifty SmallCap index advancing 0.94 per cent, both outperforming the benchmark indices.

Sector check: Metal index outshines

The Nifty Metal index surged 2.63 per cent, emerging as the day’s best-performing sector. This was followed by gains in Nifty Realty (up 1.53 per cent), Nifty Consumer Durables (1.46 per cent) and Nifty Oil & Gas (1.11 per cent). Meanwhile, Nifty FMCG and Nifty Media ended in the red.

Silver prices breach Rs 2 lakh per kg mark

In commodities, silver futures in India crossed the historic Rs 2 lakh-per-kg mark on Friday, extending a stellar rally that has seen the metal surge nearly 130 per cent this year. The sharp upmove comes on the back of strong global cues and firm investment demand.