Nifty 50 Slips into Red: Down 0.06% as Bulls Take Breather

The benchmark erased its marginal pre-open uptick, dipping 0.06% as investors digested RBI's Dec 10 data showing banks' cash balances at ₹7.25 trillion with ₹89.75 billion refinance injected. Financial heavyweights like HDFC Bank and ICICI led the pullback, while IT and pharma offered mild support. Rupee's steady open at 89.98 added stability, but FII selling pressure lingers ahead of IPO allotments.

Volume picked up modestly with Nifty Bank down sharper at 0.12%, reflecting quarter-end rebalancing. Broader sentiment remains constructive with Meesho's post-IPO surge and gold's Fed-fueled rally providing offsets.

Key Highlights:

Current Level: Nifty 50 -0.06% (~25,780); Sensex -0.04%.

Top Losers: HDFC Bank -0.4%, Reliance -0.2%, IT flat.

Gainers: TCS +0.3%, pharma up 0.1% on Glenmark news.

Liquidity Context: RBI MSF ₹9.46B; govt surplus nil.

Outlook: Rangebound; watch 25,700 support, 25,900 resistance.

Sources: NSE live data, Reuters (RTRS), Moneycontrol updates.