Indian equity benchmarks settled marginally lower on April 16 as initial gains fizzled out. Sensex declined 122.56 points or 0.16 percent to close at 77,988.68, while Nifty 50 dipped 34.55 points or 0.14 percent to 24,196.75. Early optimism around US-Iran negotiations and fresh foreign fund inflows had lifted indices higher, with Sensex jumping 619 points and Nifty climbing 169.65 points in opening trade. However, sentiment reversed by midday as both indices turned negative. Among gainers, Hindalco, Trent, and Adani Enterprises led advances, while Titan Company, Apollo Hospitals, and HDFC Bank faced selling pressure. Precious metals surged amid volatility, with gold and silver prices witnessing sharp gains. Asian markets traded higher, providing some support to sentiment throughout the session.
