MUMBAI: Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty dropped over half a per cent on Friday, tracking deep losses in oil and gas, auto and energy stocks amid relentless foreign capital outflows.

Besides, concerns over mid and small-cap stocks continued to dent investors’ sentiment and the broader market, traders said. In a range-bound trade, the 30-share BSE Sensex declined 453.85 points or 0.62 per cent to settle at 72,643.43 after a weak beginning. During the day, the benchmark tanked 612.46 points or 0.83 pc to 72,484.82.

The NSE Nifty dropped 123.30 points or 0.56 per cent to 22,023.35. On the weekly front, the BSE benchmark tanked 1,475.96 points or 1.99 per cent, while the NSE Nifty declined 470.2 points or 2.09 per cent. The BSE smallcap index dropped 2,640.82 points or 5.91 per cent and the midcap gauge tumbled 1,602.41 points or 4 per cent. “Cautiousness towards mid & small-caps continued to drag market sentiment, dampening the broader market. However, the moderation in global commodity prices and the upward revision of India’s GDP for FY25 are poised to highlight robust domestic demand, potentially supporting a rebound once the broader market attains stability,’’ said Vinod Nair, head of Research, Geojit Financial Services.

M&M emerged as the biggest loser on the Sensex chart, diving 4.75 per cent, followed by Tata Motors, NTPC, HCL Technologies, Larsen & Toubro, Infosys, Tech Mahindra and State Bank of India. Index heavyweight Reliance Industries declined nearly 1 per cent.

On the other hand, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finance, Maruti, Bajaj Finserv, Tata Consultancy Services and IndusInd Bank were the gainers. In the broader market on Friday, the BSE midcap gauge slipped 0.51 per cent, while the smallcap index went up by 0.25 per cent.

Among the sectoral indices, oil & gas fell by 2.24 pc, energy declined by 1.95 pc, auto lost 1.74 pc, capital goods (1.25 pc), consumer discretionary (0.57 pc), IT (0.55 pc), bankex (0.50 pc) and financial services (0.32 pc).