Stock markets maintained a mixed trajectory during midday trading on Tuesday, with the Sensex and Nifty displaying marginal gains amid sectoral volatility. As of 12.30 PM, the Sensex was trading at 80,984.65, up 138.90 points or 0.17 per cent, while the Nifty stood at 24,490.55, registering a modest increase of 33.40 points or 0.14 per cent.

Sectoral performance revealed a nuanced picture of market dynamics. Healthcare and IT stocks emerged as key performers, with HDFC Life leading the gainers at 2.44 per cent, followed by TCS at 1.77 per cent and HDFC Bank at 1.73 per cent. Apollo Hospitals and SBI Life also contributed positively, rising 1.59 per cent and 1.54 per cent respectively.

Conversely, certain sectors experienced downward pressure. Power Grid emerged as the top loser, declining 2.21 per cent, followed by Bharti Airtel at 2.07 per cent. Cipla, Tata Motors, and Bajaj Auto also witnessed declines, falling 1.48 per cent, 1.42 per cent, and 1.42 per cent respectively.

The broader market indices reflected the underlying market sentiment. The Nifty Next 50 index was up 190.65 points or 0.27 per cent, trading at 72,081.40. The Nifty Midcap Select index showed a similar trend, gaining 46.85 points or 0.37 per cent to reach 12,859.70.

Banking and financial sectors displayed resilience, with the Nifty Bank index rising 385.30 points or 0.73 per cent to 53,081.05, while the Nifty Financial Services index climbed 221.00 points or 0.91 per cent to 24,517.55.

Market breadth indicated a positive bias, with 2,240 advances against 1,588 declines on the BSE. A total of 3,974 stocks were traded during the session. Notably, 227 stocks touched their 52-week highs, while only 10 hit 52-week lows. The market also saw 349 stocks in the upper circuit and 178 in the lower circuit.

With trading still in progress and several hours remaining before market closure, investors continue to monitor ongoing developments, including the RBI’s monetary policy meeting and global market cues.