Buy or sell stocks, Sept. 25 -- The key benchmark indices of the Indian stock market closed on a subdued note on September 24th, with the Nifty 50 index settling near 25,050 on profit booking. Index is seen down for the 4th session in a row. IT counters underperformed, pressured by H-1B fee escalation, while ongoing US trade frictions and softening global macros weighed on risk appetite, keeping market participants in a defensive posture. At close, the Sensex was down 386.47 points or 0.47 per cent at 81,715.63, and the Nifty was down 112.60 points or 0.45 per cent at 25,056.90.

Barring FMCG, all major sectoral indices closed in negative territory, with auto, IT, media, metals, oil & gas, and realty witnessing broad-based profit booking,...