Sensex, Nifty snap 3-day winning streak

The NSE Nifty 50 index closed 0.26% lower at 14,834.85, while the S&P BSE Sensex ended down 0.31% at 49,591.32. The indexes fell after three straight days of gains.

Indian shares closed lower on Friday, pressured by modest declines in index heavyweights Reliance Industries and ICICI Bank, while Hindustan Unilever gained on signs that coronavirus curbs could spur greater demand for daily-use consumer products. Surging Covid-19 infections have threatened to disrupt a nascent economic recovery in India and its main stock indexes have retreated from February's all-time highs. Total cases in the country jumped by another daily record on Friday. Still, analysts believe that the impact on the market may be limited as a nationwide shutdown of the kind seen last year is not expected.