The BSE Sensex was almost flat in a choppy session, trading around 82,268 in morning deals on Friday after gaining in the previous session, as advances in metal and banking stocks offset declines in financial services and healthcare. Traders remained cautious amid mixed earnings results and persistent foreign outflows. Profit-taking also weighed on sentiment after the benchmark snapped a three-day losing streak in the previous session. Meanwhile, an upbeat session on Wall Street overnight lifted sentiment, supported by easing global tensions and solid US domestic data. On the data front, Indian private sector growth accelerated in January 2026, supported by faster expansion in both manufacturing and services activity, preliminary data showed. Asian Paints rose 1.9%, Tata Steel gained 1.2%, while Adani Ports and Power Grid each fell 1.2%. For the week, the index is heading for a 1.5% decline, after ending flat in the previous session amid continued foreign capital outflows.
