Benchmark equity indices traded nearly flat in afternoon deals on Friday, with the Sensex down 3.68 points or 0.00 per cent at 80,979.63 and the Nifty 50 slipping 4.85 points or 0.02 per cent to 24,831.45 at 1.05 pm, a day after the Reserve Bank of India announced a growth-supportive monetary policy.

The RBI kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.5 per cent while lowering its FY26 inflation forecast to 2.6 per cent from 3.1 per cent and raising GDP growth projections to 6.8 per cent from 6.5 per cent. The policy announcement boosted sentiment, particularly in metal and banking stocks, helping markets recover from a weaker opening.

Metal stocks dominated the gainers list, with Tata Steel rising 4.09 per cent to ₹174.36 and Hindalco advancing 2.70 per cent to ₹786.60. JSW Steel ga

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