Stock market today: Profit taking at higher levels, trade deal jitters and crude price surge pushed the Indian benchmark indices — Sensex and Nifty — lower on Friday after a six-day rally. Bank stocks emerged as the biggest index drags, with HDFC Bank contributing to nearly half of the losses.

Sensex settled the day 344.52 points or 0.41% lower at 84,211.88. Its NSE counterpart, Nifty 50, ended at 25,795.15, down 96 points or 0.37%.

Broader market indices, too, closed in the red today, although they outperformed the benchmarks. The BSE Midcap index lost 0.25% and the BSE Smallcap index 0.19%.

10 key highlights from trade today

Here are the 10 highlights from the Indian stock market today:

1. What drove the market lower?

Ashika Institutional Equities said that Indian markets opened on a muted note today despite positive cues from the global market. “The sentiment was further dampened after India’s Trade Minister reiterated that the country would not rush into trade agreements under restrictive conditions, weighing on investor confidence,” said the brokerage.

Technically, Nifty remains range-bound between 25,500 and 26,000 levels, and a decisive move beyond this band will likely set the tone for the next directional trend, it added.

2. Top Nifty 50 gainers today

Only 16 Nifty 50 stocks closed in the green today. Metal counter Hindalco emerged as the best performer, with a 4.11% rise, amid a jump in aluminium prices.

ICICI Bank, Bharti Airtel, Shriram Finance, ONGC and Bharat Electronics were among the other top winners, gaining 0.90% to 1.05%.