Gains were led by banking and financial stocks, which recovered after recent declines and provided strong support to the benchmarks. Select heavyweight stocks in energy, autos and IT also contributed to the upside, helping the indices maintain momentum into the close. "Investor sentiment remained steady and constructive, supported by favourable global cues as renewed optimism around further monetary easing by the US Federal Reserve—following lower-than-expected November inflation data—boosted global risk appetite. Despite the positive close, market participants remained selective, focusing on fundamentally strong stocks rather than engaging in broad-based buying. In summary, Friday’s session marked a relief rally for Indian equities, driven by supportive global cues, renewed foreign inflows and recovery in key sectors.

Source: Indian Express December 19, 2025 11:55 UTC