Mumbai, May 13: Indian equity benchmarks ended marginally higher on Wednesday after a volatile trading session, as buying in metal and select heavyweight stocks helped offset weakness in IT and auto counters. The market also snapped a four-session losing streak.
The BSE Sensex rose 49.74 points (0.07%) to close at 74,608.98, while the Nifty 50 gained 33.05 points (0.14%) to settle at 23,412.60, according to market closing data.
Metal stocks drive gains
Metal stocks emerged as the strongest performers of the day, supported by sustained buying interest across the sector. Broader sectoral strength in oil & gas and select infrastructure names also contributed to the recovery, even as IT and auto stocks remained under pressure.
Volatile intraday trade
The session saw sharp swings, with indices moving between gains and losses before ending slightly positive. Despite intraday volatility, market breadth remained firm, with advancing stocks outnumbering decliners, indicating underlying buying support across midcap and smallcap segments.
Broader markets outperform
Midcap and smallcap indices continued to show relative strength compared to benchmarks, reflecting improved risk appetite among investors even amid cautious global sentiment.
Global and domestic cues in focus
Markets remained sensitive to mixed global signals, including concerns around crude oil prices, foreign fund flows, and geopolitical uncertainty. However, selective sector rotation—particularly into metals—helped stabilise sentiment by the close.
Outlook
Analysts suggest that near-term volatility may persist, with investor focus shifting toward global energy prices, inflation trends, and foreign portfolio flows. However, strong domestic participation and sectoral rotation continue to provide support to Indian equities.
Overall, the session reflected a “buy-on-dips” pattern in selective sectors, even as broader uncertainty keeps markets range-bound.