India’s benchmark indices ended nearly flat on Tuesday, reflecting a day of mixed performance and volatility. Investors exercised caution as tensions in the Middle East dampened global indices, which had previously rallied on hopes of an imminent rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

The Sensex closed slightly higher, gaining 13.65 points to reach 81,711.76, while the Nifty added 7.20 points to end at 25,017.80.

The market witnessed a broad-based movement with 2,036 shares advancing, 1,746 shares declining, and 86 shares remaining unchanged.

Among the top performers on the Nifty were SBI Life Insurance, Maruti Suzuki, Bajaj Finserv, Shriram Finance, and HDFC Life. The major laggards included HUL, JSW Steel, Titan Company, Tata Motors, and Grasim Industries.

Sectorally, the energy, metal, and FMCG sectors experienced declines of 0.5-1 percent. Conversely, the banking, capital goods, healthcare, IT, realty, pharma, and media sectors showed gains, with the media sector leading the pack with a 4 percent increase.

Both the BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices recorded a 0.5 percent rise, indicating some strength in the broader market.

Overall, the market’s performance was influenced by global factors and investors’ cautious approach, resulting in a relatively flat close for both the Sensex and Nifty.