Top Gainers & Losers: Nifty Ends Lower as Financials, IT Drag; Cipla, RIL Post Gains | 24 Jul 2026, 12:00 PM IST
By ThePip Desk
The Nifty 50 closed Friday’s session in the red, shedding over 200 points. While pharma and select large-caps saw buying, financials and IT stocks led the market’s decline.
The Indian equity market concluded Friday’s trading session on a weak note, with the Nifty 50 closing at 23653.35, down −0.91% or −216 pts. The broader market sentiment was reflected in the Nifty Bank index, which also registered a decline of −0.72%, settling at 56183.80. Investors showed caution, leading to a broad-based sell-off across several key sectors.
Top Gainers
| Company | Price (₹) | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Cipla Ltd. | 1428 | +2.51% |
| Reliance Industries Ltd. | 1279.2 | +0.55% |
| HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd. | 553.15 | +0.40% |
| ITC Ltd. | 282.25 | +0.34% |
| Nestle India Ltd. | 1451.6 | +0.26% |
| HCL Technologies Ltd. | 1246.1 | +0.11% |
| Trent Ltd. | 2877 | +0.08% |
| JIO Financial Services Ltd. | 233.25 | +0.04% |
Leading the pack of gainers was Cipla Ltd., which advanced a notable +2.51%. The pharma major saw positive investor sentiment despite reporting a fall in its Q1 consolidated net profit, with market participants likely focusing on the company’s reported increase in consolidated total income for the quarter. Diversified conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd. also ended the day in positive territory, up +0.55%, following news that its arm launched the AJIO Beauty platform, signaling expansion in the e-commerce beauty segment. HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd. posted a gain of +0.40%, buoyed by its announcement of a rise in Q1 consolidated net profit and growth in net premium income. Other notable gainers included FMCG giant ITC Ltd. (+0.34%) and Nestle India Ltd. (+0.26%), alongside HCL Technologies Ltd. (+0.11%) which stood out in an otherwise weak IT sector. This suggests a defensive play, with investors gravitating towards pharma, stable consumption, and specific large-cap stories amidst broader market weakness.
Top Losers
| Company | Price (₹) | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Bajaj Finance Ltd. | 1007.5 | −3.11% |
| Infosys Ltd. | 1017.7 | −2.84% |
| Eternal Ltd. | 279.4 | −2.68% |
| Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. | 3153.3 | −2.37% |
| Interglobe Aviation Ltd. | 4909 | −2.28% |
| Bharti Airtel Ltd. | 1888 | −2.23% |
| Shriram Finance Ltd. | 1003.5 | −2.17% |
| JSW Steel Ltd. | 1230 | −1.35% |
| Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. | 1150.6 | −1.35% |
| Ultratech Cement Ltd. | 11750 | −1.33% |
The day’s biggest decline came from Bajaj Finance Ltd., which plunged −3.11%, reflecting broad weakness in the financial services sector. This was mirrored by Shriram Finance Ltd., down −2.17%. The IT sector also faced significant headwinds, with Infosys Ltd. shedding −2.84%, contributing to the Nifty’s overall decline. Auto major Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. saw a notable dip of −2.37%, while Interglobe Aviation Ltd. (Indigo) fell −2.28%, indicating pressure on travel-related stocks. Telecommunications giant Bharti Airtel Ltd. also recorded a substantial loss of −2.23%. Other prominent losers included JSW Steel Ltd. (−1.35%) from the metals sector, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. (−1.35%), and Ultratech Cement Ltd. (−1.33%), highlighting a broad-based selling across various cyclical and growth-oriented sectors. The widespread declines across financials, IT, auto, and infrastructure-related stocks suggest a cautious sentiment prevailing in the market.
The clear split between a few defensive gainers and broad-based declines across growth sectors signals a risk-off sentiment dominating investor behavior on Friday.