The Indian equity indices S&P BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty50 settled higher on Friday, the last trading session of 2021.The Sensex and Nifty settled at 58253 points and 17354 points, respectively, up 0.8 per cent and 0.9 per cent from their previous close.During the session, all sectoral indices traded in the green, with Nifty auto, consumer durables, metal rising the most, NSE data showed.Among the stocks, Hindalco, Titan, Ultra Cement, Tata Motors, and Kotak Mahindra Bank were some of the top losers, rising 5.6 per cent, 3.3 per cent, 2.8 per cent, 2.6 per cent, 2.4 per cent, respectively.On the other hand, NTPC, Cipla, Tech Mahindra, Power Grid Corporation, and SBI Life Insurance shares declined the most.
"2021 witnessed strong recovery amid continuing challenges from subsequent variants and ended positive today. India outperformed most global peers supported by robust retail participation, economic recovery, vaccine coverage and rising appetite for Indian goods and services," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services."Despite lingering fears surrounding surging Omicron cases, the domestic market is expected to maintain its resilience supported by healthy long-term growth forecasts and reforms undertaken."In 2021, the benchmark indices - Sensex and Nifty - rose nearly 22 per cent and 24 per cent, respectively, with several companies going public on the exchanges. The year 2021 also saw many new retail investors coming into the market.