Mumbai, November 8: The BSE Sensex closed 28.62 points, or 0.04%, lower at 80,999.40 in Sunday's special Diwali Muhurat trading session, against the previous close of 81,028.02, according to exchange data reported by Upstox. The NSE Nifty50 slipped below the 25,000 mark to end 0.18% lower at 24,986.40, against 25,030.35 at the previous close.

Source: Upstox market wrap (NSE/BSE data)

The closing figures were the same in the Times of India closing-bell report carried by 7Globe, which put the Nifty's fall at 44 points and also recorded the Sensex at 80,999.40, down 28.62 points.

Source: Closing Bell via 7Globe

The mood was defensive and stock-specific. Sun Pharma was the top Nifty gainer, closing about 2.9% higher; Tata Steel gained 2% and ONGC 1.3%, Upstox reported. Among the laggards, SBI Life Insurance fell 1.1%, while IndiGo and Bharti Airtel each lost about 1%. Of the 50 Nifty stocks, 17 ended in the green and 32 in the red.

The pause came after an exceptional run: the benchmarks had risen for seven straight sessions, and foreign investors bought a net Rs 13,749.82 crore of Indian equities on Friday, November 6 alone, provisional data showed. Foreign investors have put Rs 38,971 crore into Indian equities since the start of November, reversing a two-month selling streak, according to NSDL data cited by Upstox — and investors in the Muhurat session were questioning whether that pace can continue.

The Muhurat session is a one-hour ceremonial sitting held on Diwali for Laxmi Pujan and to mark the new Samvat year; trades carry normal settlement obligations. Regular trading resumes on Monday, November 9, the first full session of Samvat 2083.