Indian equity benchmark -- Nifty -- snapped six-day winning streak and ended lower on Friday ahead of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s speech at Jackson Hole symposium. Index made a slightly negative start following broadly negative cues from other Asian market. Soon, index extended its losses and continued its trade in southward terrain. Investors opted to book profit at higher levels. Market participants remained cautious as SBI Research Report stated that India's economic growth is expected to be lower at 6.3 per cent in the fiscal year 2025-26 (FY26) compared to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI's) projection of 6.5 per cent. The report pegged the first quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimate at around 6.8 to 7 per cent, mainly due to muted private capex. Index continued its lackluster trade during afternoon session and in last leg of the trade, index extended its losses and closed below 24,900 mark.

Most of the sectorial indices ended in red except Media, Pharma and Consumer Durables stocks. The top gainers from the F&O segment were Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail, Vodafone Idea and UNO Minda. On the other hand, the top losers were Samvardhana Motherson International, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company and LIC Housing Finance. In the index option segment, maximum OI continues to be seen in the 24900 - 25100 calls and 23900 - 24100 puts indicating this is the trading range expectation.

India Volatility Index (VIX), a gauge for market’s short-term expectation of volatility increased by 3.12% and reached 11.73. The 50 share Nifty down by 213.65 point or 0.85% to settle at 24,870.10.

Nifty August 2025 futures closed at 24890.00 (LTP) on Friday, at a premium of 19.90 points over spot closing of 24870.10, while Nifty September 2025 futures ended at 25037.00 (LTP), at a premium of 166.90 points over spot closing. Nifty August futures saw a contraction of 494 units, taking the total open interest (Contracts) to 1,99,417 units. The near month derivatives contract will expire on August 28, 2025. (Provisional)

From the most active contracts, Axis Bank August 2025 futures traded at a premium of 0.60 points at 1071.30 (LTP) compared with spot closing of 1070.70. The numbers of contracts traded were 58,195. (Provisional)

Reliance Industries August 2025 futures traded at a premium of 1.90 points at 1411.80 (LTP) compared with spot closing of 1409.90. The numbers of contracts traded were 54,816. (Provisional)

Infosys August 2025 futures traded at a premium of 4.00 points at 1491.90 (LTP) compared with spot closing of 1487.90. The numbers of contracts traded were 50,901. (Provisional)

ICICI Bank August 2025 futures traded at a premium of 0.70 points at 1436.60 (LTP) compared with spot closing of 1435.90. The numbers of contracts traded were 46,536. (Provisional)

HDFC Bank August 2025 futures traded at a premium of 3.20 points at 1968.70 (LTP) compared with spot closing of 1965.50. The numbers of contracts traded were 44,696. (Provisional)

Among, Nifty calls, 25100 SP from the August month expiry was the most active call with an addition of 1,66,725 units open interests. Among Nifty puts, 24900 SP from the August month expiry was the most active put with an addition of 42,533 units open interests. The maximum OI outstanding for Calls was at 25000 SP (2,46,637 units) and that for Puts was at 24000 SP (1,09,724 units). The respective Support and Resistance levels of Nifty are: Resistance 25016.92 -- Pivot Point 24938.03 -- Support 24791.22.

The Nifty Put Call Ratio (PCR) finally stood at (0.62) for August month contract. The top five scrips with highest PCR on Apollo Hospitals Enterprise (1.15), Petronet LNG (1.10), Interglobe Aviation (1.09), Maruti Suzuki India (1.08) and L&T Finance (1.06).

Among most active underlying HDFC Bank witnessed an addition of 8,720 units of Open Interest in the August month future, ICICI Bank witnessed an addition of 5,319 units of Open Interest in the August month future, Axis Bank witnessed an addition of 24,089 units of Open Interest in the August month futures, Reliance Industries witnessed an addition of 14,137 units of Open Interest in the August month futures and Eternal witnessed a contraction of 4,151 units of Open Interest in the August month futures. (Provisional).