After a bumper start to the New Year, the Indian stock market’s upward trend came to a halt on Friday amid mixed global cues as heavy selling was seen in the IT, financial services and pharma sectors.

Dear Trader… The markets took a pause after a three-day rally, shedding over half a percent. Following a flat opening, the Nifty future traded within a narrow range throughout the session, eventually closing near the day’s low at the 24,092 level. Sectoral trends were mixed, with energy and FMCG sectors