Stock Market LIVE Updates | On Thursday, benchmark indices remained in positive territory, fueled by optimistic investor sentiment after the release of mild US inflation data, which sparked hopes of a possible rate cut by the Fed.

BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices ended flat. Among sectors, IT and Bank indices shed 2 percent each, while oil & gas, power, FMCG, PSU, capital goods, realty and metal indices added 1 percent each.

The Indian stock market snapped its three consecutive sessions winning streak on Friday, with Sensex and Nifty registering a 1% decline each. The performance turned sour because of extreme selling pressure in banking stocks.

Asian equities also dropped in early trading, influenced by uncertainty in the US market. Investors are awaiting key Chinese economic data, including fourth-quarter growth figures

Markets in India are expected to open higher following a strong showing on Wall Street after a lower-than-expected core inflation reading there

US stocks dipped on Thursday as a jump in the prior session cooled, while investors eyed the most recent corporate earnings and gauged economic data to determine the path of Federal Reserve rate cuts.

The trends on Gift Nifty also indicate a negative start for the Indian benchmark index. The Gift Nifty was trading around 23,325 level, a discount of nearly 52 points from the Nifty futures’ previous close.

In another rangebound session, the Indian market closed on a positive note, extending its winning streak for the third consecutive day on Thursday, driven by positive cues such as the Gaza ceasefire deal,