New Delhi, Dec. 3 -- The Indian benchmark indices ended the day on a negative note, paring gains from the previous session's record highs as profit-booking in heavyweight Financials and Energy stocks weighed down the market. The Nifty 50 closed 143.00 points lower, or 0.55%, settling at 26,032.75, while the Sensex shed 414.71 points, or 0.48%, to close at 85,233.87.

On the sectoral front, Financial Services and Banking indices were the primary laggards, while select IT and FMCG stocks offered minor support. The overall market breadth was decidedly weak, with the advance-decline ratio on the NSE heavily skewed toward decliners, indicating widespread selling pressure beyond the indices. The macroeconomic focus remains on the upcoming RBI M...