Indian stock market: Both Indian indices – Sensex and Nifty – ended the session on a flat note on Thursday, December 18, due to lack of fresh market triggers. The Sensex slipped 78 points, or 0.09%, to end at 84,481.81, while the Nifty 50 edged down 3 points, or 0.01%, to settle at 25,815.55. Meanwhile, the BSE Midcap index posted marginal gains of 0.05%, whereas the Smallcap index declined by 0.28%.
Ongoing worries about the rupee’s depreciation, continued foreign fund outflows, and uncertainty surrounding a potential India–US trade agreement are keeping investor sentiment under pressure.
On the Nifty options front, Chandan Taparia, Head Derivatives & Technicals, Wealth Management, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd, said Maximum Call OI is at 26000 then 25900 strike, while Maximum Put OI is at 25800 then 25700 strike.
“Call writing is seen at 25800, then 25900 strike, while Put writing is seen at 25700, then 25800 strike. Option data suggests a broader trading range between 25300 and 26200 zones, while an immediate range between 25600 and 26000 levels,” Taparia said.
Nifty 50 Outlook
According to Taparia, the Nifty index opened negatively but attempted recovery to cross the 25900 zones, but failed to hold at higher zones. It gave up strength in the second half and fell to 25700 marks.
“The index has been witnessing a tug of war between the bulls and bears for the last few sessions. It formed a small-bodied bullish candle on the daily frame, but with a longer upper shadow indicating pressure is intact at higher zones and is continuously making lower highs – lower lows from the last four sessions. Now till it holds below 25900 zones, weakness could be seen towards 25700 then 25600 zones while hurdles have shifted lower to 25900 then 26000 zones,” he said.
Bank Nifty outlook
Bank Nifty index opened flat but quickly came under heavy selling pressure as bears dominated right from the first tick. Every intraday bounce was met with fresh selling, keeping the rate-sensitive index under sustained pressure. In the final hour, the index managed to find support near its 20 DEMA.
“On the daily chart, it has formed a bearish candle and closed with losses of around 540 points. Now till it holds below 59500, some weakness could be seen towards 59000, then 58750 while on the upside hurdle is seen at 59500, then 59750 zones,” he added.
Stocks to buy or sell
Chandan Taparia has recommended three stocks to buy or sell today, 19 December 2025 – Tech Mahindra, Hindalco Industries, and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders.
Tech Mahindra | Buy | Target Price: ₹1700 | Stop Loss: ₹1560
Stock has formed a bullish “Pennant” pattern on the daily chart, suggesting a continuation of the uptrend. The ADX line is rising, which confirms the strength of the uptrend.
Hindalco Industries | Buy | Target Price: ₹905 | Stop Loss: ₹830
Stock has given a range breakout near its “All Time High” zones with higher-than-average traded volumes. The RSI indicator is positively placed, which has bullish implications.
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders | Sell | Target Price: ₹2200 | Stop Loss: ₹2435
Stock is in an overall downtrend and has breached its major support zones. The MACD line is declining, which confirms the bearish momentum.
Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, not Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
