FX.co ★ Sensex, Nifty End Slightly Lower Before RBI Policy Outcome

Indian equities concluded a touch lower on Thursday, influenced by the expiration of Nifty 50 weekly options and anticipation of the Reserve Bank of India's interest rate decision expected on Friday.

Supportive signals from international markets helped cushion the overall decline as inflation worries and fears surrounding trade tensions slightly relaxed.

The S&P BSE Sensex, a key benchmark, closed the day 213.12 points lower, representing a 0.27 percent decline, at 78,058.16. Meanwhile, the broader NSE Nifty index finished at 23,603.35, down by 92.95 points or 0.39 percent from the last session.

Mid-cap stocks on the BSE dipped by 0.9 percent, whereas the small-cap index remained relatively unchanged.

Market breadth exhibited a negative trend, with 2,018 stocks declining, 1,917 advancing, and 128 remaining unchanged on the BSE.

The Indian rupee depreciated by 14 paise, reaching a new record low amid persistent foreign fund withdrawals.

Shares in Trent, the retail arm of Tata Group, tumbled 8.4 percent following disappointing Q3 earnings and an announcement regarding a strategic shift to optimize its store portfolio. ONGC, Titan Company, Bharti Airtel, and BEL saw declines ranging between 2 and 3 percent.

Despite State Bank of India showcasing solid financial performance in the third quarter with higher profits and enhanced asset quality, its stock dipped 1.6 percent.

Pharmaceutical stocks experienced gains due to defensive buying, with Cipla rallying 2.5 percent and Dr. Reddy's Laboratories rising 1 percent.

Meanwhile, HDFC Life, ITC Hotels, and Adani Ports witnessed an uptick of 1 to 2 percent in their shares.