India's Nifty, Sensex flat as IT, higher crude offset auto, metals' rise

Lloyds Metals And Energy

17/03/2026 06:38

** Nifty 50 .NSEI, Sensex .BSESN flat; broad-based losses led by IT stocks offset uptick in metals, partial rebound in autos

** Both indexes gained as much as 0.7% intraday

** Higher-for-longer crude hurting sentiment, despite recent market correction creating value in select pockets, triggering consolidation, says Rakesh Pujara, founder and managing partner at Compounding Wealth Advisors

** Of 16 major sectors, 9 decline; small-caps .NIFSMCP100, mid-caps .NIFMDCP100 rise 0.2% each

** IT stocks .NIFTYIT fall 1.1%, losing 5% over six sessions, ahead of Fed decision on Wednesday

** Steel stocks lead metals .NIFTYMET 1.3% higher after Nomura reiterates "buy" on Tata Steel TISC.NS, JSW Steel JSTL.NS, Jindal Steel JINT.NS, Lloyds Metals LYMT.NS, citing improving domestic price momentum

** Autos .NIFTYAUTO add 1% after Monday's 1.7% rise; partially rebound from last week's steep 10.6% drop on fears of Iran war hurting output, exports

 (Reporting by Bharath Rajeswaran in Bengaluru)

 ((bharath.rajeswaran@thomsonreuters.com; +91 9769003463;))