Indian equity benchmarks traded higher, with the Sensex gaining nearly 500 points and the Nifty holding above 24,340. Broad-based buying across metal, pharma and IT stocks, supported by positive global cues and easing macro concerns, kept investor sentiment upbeat despite weakness in PSU banking shares.

Stocks including Manappuram Finance, Aditya Birla Capital, Aurobindo Pharma, Bosch, Oberoi Realty, and Apollo Hospitals touched fresh 52-week highs. The rally highlighted continued buying interest in financials, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and real estate despite mixed sectoral performance.

Nestlé India announced a special dividend of Rs. 2 per equity share with a face value of Re 1. The stock traded 0.68% higher at Rs. 1,456.05 after the announcement. It remains 2.84% below its 52-week high of Rs. 1,498.60, with the company's market capitalization standing at Rs. 2.81 lakh crore.

The Indian rupee appreciated by 14 paise to trade at 95.25 against the US dollar, compared with the previous close of 95.39. The stronger currency reflected improved market sentiment amid positive global cues and easing pressure on emerging market currencies.

The Nifty PSU Bank index declined 0.7%, led by Union Bank of India, which fell over 6%. Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Indian Bank, and SBI also traded lower, making PSU banking the weakest-performing sector during early trade.

Citi maintained its 'Sell' rating on Punjab National Bank with a target price of Rs. 103. While loan growth matched guidance, weaker deposit growth remained a concern. Stable margins, low credit costs, and additional provisioning are expected to support earnings despite subdued profitability.

Nomura retained a 'Neutral' rating on Bank of Baroda, with a target price of Rs. 300. The brokerage expects the bank's $600 million settlement to impact Q1FY27 earnings, but believes that avoiding prolonged litigation removes uncertainty without admitting wrongdoing.

Kusumgar fixed its IPO price band at Rs. 398–419 per share, valuing the company at around Rs. 4,400 crore. The public issue consists entirely of an offer for sale by promoters, with investors now awaiting subscription details and listing timelines.

Hitachi Energy India fell nearly 7%, extending losses for a fourth straight session. Despite the correction, the stock remains almost 96% above its 52-week low, reflecting its strong long-term performance despite recent profit-booking.

Equitas Small Finance Bank reported a 26.7% jump in gross advances and over 10% growth in deposits for the first quarter. However, its CASA ratio slipped to 25% from 29%, indicating slower growth in low-cost deposits.

Nestlé India remains in a bullish trend after a strong recovery. Holding above Rs. 1,430 keeps momentum positive, while a breakout above Rs. 1,460 could drive the stock towards Rs. 1,500–1,550.

PB Fintech shares plunged nearly 8% after a Rs. 1,741-crore block deal involving 2.37% of equity. Reports suggested Singapore's Temasek Holdings was trimming its stake, triggering heavy selling pressure on the stock during early trading.

HDFC Securities trimmed its target price for L&T Technology Services to Rs. 3,350 but maintained an 'Add' rating, citing the company's strong AI-led engineering capabilities. The brokerage expects double-digit revenue growth over the coming years, backed by AI investments, though it lowered earnings estimates after the SWC business divestment.

Bluspring Enterprises gained over 7% after its subsidiary secured a Rs. 1,437-crore operations and maintenance contract from Vedanta Aluminum. The order covers a 1,215 MW captive power plant, boosting investor confidence in the company's growth prospects.

Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services estimated a 21% rise in quarterly disbursements, while asset quality improved with lower Stage-2 and Stage-3 loans. Business assets also expanded, reflecting steady growth across lending operations.

Most sectoral indices traded in the green, led by metal and pharmaceutical stocks, each gaining around 1.5%. Energy and PSU banks remained the only notable laggards, while IT also witnessed strong buying interest during morning trade.

Deepak Builders & Engineers India secured a Rs. 548.70 crore contract from Haryana State Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation for the Shri Krishna Ayush University project in Kurukshetra. The stock gained nearly 5%, hitting its intraday high as investors welcomed the major order win and strong buying interest.

Avenue Supermarts, the operator of DMart, fell around 4% after its June quarter business update disappointed investors. Goldman Sachs and Macquarie retained their bearish stance, citing slower revenue growth and weaker-than-expected store additions, raising concerns over the retailer's near-term growth outlook.

BPCL's subsidiary BPRL Ventures BV acquired the remaining 39.14% stake in IBV Brasil Petroleo Limitada for Rs. 2,312 crore. The acquisition strengthens BPCL's overseas energy portfolio by adding equity oil and gas assets, supporting India's long-term energy security.

Titagarh Rail Systems signed a strategic collaboration agreement with TuTr Hyperloop to develop Hyperloop-enabled freight transportation solutions in India. The partnership aims to accelerate indigenous advanced mobility technology and strengthen India's innovation ecosystem.

Gold and silver exchange-traded funds (ETFs) rose up to 3% on Friday as global bullion prices rallied. The gains followed weaker-than-expected US jobs data, which strengthened expectations of a softer Federal Reserve interest rate stance. Lower rate expectations boosted demand for safe-haven assets, lifting precious metals and related investment products.

Gold prices jumped 1.63% to US$4,192.8 per troy ounce, supported by expectations of a softer US interest rate outlook. Copper gained 1.20% and natural gas rose 2.03%, while light crude oil edged down 0.13% to US$68.60 a barrel. The rupee traded near 95.30 against the US dollar.

Aurobindo Pharma surged more than 4.5% to Rs. 1,631.60, hitting a fresh high after touching an intraday peak of Rs. 1,636.80. The stock extended its strong uptrend with healthy trading volumes, reflecting sustained buying interest as pharmaceutical stocks continued to outperform the broader market.

BLS E-Services acquired a 100% stake in Atyati Technologies for Rs. 157 crore, strengthening its AI-powered banking and financial technology offerings. The acquisition is expected to enhance digital solutions for banks, financial institutions and enterprise customers.

Prabhudas Lilladher upgraded HCL Technologies to 'Accumulate' from 'Reduce' with a target price of Rs. 1,140. The stock gained over 4% as investors welcomed the improved outlook, although it remains well below its 52-week high.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Tata Motors' luxury vehicle arm, reported a 9.2% year-on-year decline in Q1 wholesales to 79,300 units, while retail sales dropped 15.3% to 80,000 units. Following the update, Tata Motors shares slipped 0.77% to Rs. 343.35 in early trade.

The Nifty Energy index fell around 1%, extending losses for a second straight session. GE Vernova, Hitachi Energy, CG Power, Thermax and BHEL led the decline, reflecting continued profit-booking across energy and capital goods stocks despite broader market resilience.

Indian equity benchmarks remained in positive territory during afternoon trade. The Sensex advanced 334 points to 77,836, while the Nifty gained over 109 points to trade around 24,285. Market breadth remained positive, with nearly 1,954 stocks advancing against 1,853 declining.

PB Fintech, CG Power and ICICI Bank dominated trading volumes, while Virat Crane, Sulabh Engineers and National Standard (India) featured among the session's most volatile stocks amid sharp intraday price swings.

Vision Corporation, Spectrum Foods and Lamosaic India topped the gainers' list with 20% gains, while Elgi Rubber, Forcas Studio and IKIO Technologies also posted strong advances amid broad buying interest.

National Standard (India) led the losers with an 18.98% decline, followed by Mac Hotels, Pearl Green Clubs, Kinetic Trust and Inani Marbles as investors booked profits across select small-cap stocks.

European shares traded largely flat on Friday but remained on track for a fourth consecutive weekly gain. Investor sentiment stayed positive after softer-than-expected US jobs data reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve could pause interest rate hikes, although Dow futures traded lower ahead of Wall Street's opening.

LG Electronics India received relief after GST authorities dropped a proposed tax demand of Rs. 116.72 crore related to alleged excess input tax credit claims for FY22. The ruling removes a key regulatory overhang, though the stock traded about 1.2% lower during the session.

Adani Enterprises and International Resources Holding (IRH) will jointly develop an $11.5 billion integrated aluminium project in Odisha. The venture will be executed in two phases with investments of Rs. 66,000 crore and Rs. 44,000 crore, strengthening India's aluminium manufacturing ecosystem.

BLS E-Services climbed over 5% after acquiring Atyati Technologies for Rs. 157 crore. The deal strengthens the company's AI-powered banking and financial technology capabilities, helping the stock hit a fresh 52-week high during Friday's trading session.

Indian equity markets ended higher for the third consecutive session, with the Sensex rising 262 points to 77,763.91 and the Nifty closing at 24,270.85. For the week, both benchmark indices gained nearly 1%, supported by positive global cues and sectoral buying.

Indian benchmark indices extended gains for a third consecutive session, with the Sensex rising 262 points and the Nifty closing above 24,270. Realty, IT and pharma stocks led the rally, while PSU banks and energy shares ended as the day's biggest laggards.

Geojit Investments said softer US labour data, easing crude oil prices and positive India-Japan Summit outcomes supported market sentiment. The brokerage expects investors to maintain a buy-on-dips strategy while closely tracking Q1FY27 earnings, monsoon progress and developments surrounding the proposed US-India free trade agreement.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries gained 1.81% to close at Rs. 1,904.80, extending its upward momentum. The stock remained near its recent highs, supported by sustained buying interest and healthy trading volumes.

PB Fintech declined 5.40% to Rs. 1,591.20, witnessing sharp selling and heavy trading volumes. The stock came under pressure following a block deal, extending its recent weakness despite broader market gains.

The Indian rupee appreciated 17 paise to close at 95.22 against the US dollar, compared with the previous close of 95.39. Improved market sentiment, easing crude oil prices and positive global cues supported the domestic currency during Friday's trading session.

The Sensex gained 262 points while the Nifty settled above 24,270, extending its winning streak. Realty, IT, pharma and metal stocks led the rally, whereas PSU banks, energy and auto stocks underperformed. Midcaps ended marginally lower while small-caps closed largely unchanged.

LKP Securities said Bank Nifty remains bullish despite recent consolidation. The brokerage sees immediate support between 57,500–57,200 and resistance at 58,500–58,800, recommending a buy-on-dips approach near support while advising profit booking close to resistance levels.

Nomura retained its 'Buy' rating on Marico with a target price of Rs. 950. The brokerage expects consolidated revenue growth in the low 20% range during Q1FY27, supported by strong India volume growth, healthy EBITDA expansion and improving demand across key product categories.

Knack Packaging's IPO was subscribed 67.72 times by 3:15 PM on the final day. Qualified Institutional Buyers led demand with 109.73 times subscription, while Non-Institutional Investors subscribed 132.87 times, reflecting strong investor interest in the public issue.

Lodha Developers gained 5.05% to close at Rs. 1,057, touching an intraday high of Rs. 1,062. The stock extended its strong recovery on robust buying interest, outperforming the broader realty sector.

Vision Corporation, Spectrum Foods and Elgi Rubber topped the gainers with nearly 20% gains, while National Standard (India), Pearl Green Clubs and Mac Hotels led the losers amid sharp selling pressure.

The Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) will examine whether stock exchanges can penalise both counterparties involved in the same reversal trade. The matter arose after a broker challenged an NSE penalty and received interim relief pending further hearings.

By 3 PM, the Sensex was up nearly 288 points while the Nifty traded around 24,278. HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, HCL Technologies, Infosys and Bharti Airtel were among the most actively traded stocks during the session.

PB Fintech, CG Power and ICICI Bank topped trading volumes, while National Standard (India), Yash Optics and Srestha Finvest featured among the session’s most volatile stocks amid sharp intraday price swings.

IDFC First Bank posted strong first-quarter business growth, with deposits rising 17.7% to Rs. 3.11 lakh crore and advances increasing 20.6% year-on-year. CASA deposits climbed 24.7%, highlighting healthy retail deposit mobilisation and continued business momentum.

Max Estates reported Rs. 1,100 crore in Q1FY27 pre-sales, marking more than a five-fold increase year-on-year. The company also achieved collections of Rs. 500 crore, driven by robust demand across its residential projects in Noida and Gurugram.

HSBC reiterated its 'Buy' rating on Marico and raised the target price to Rs. 1,000. The brokerage cited double-digit volume growth, strong performance by Parachute and international operations, although Bangladesh remained weak due to persistent inflationary pressures.