ONGC, Trent, and NTPC led midday trade, gaining up to 2% on strong institutional buying and firm domestic sentiment. In contrast, Tata Steel and Hindalco slipped around 1.5% as global metal prices softened amid profit-taking. Analysts noted that energy and retail stocks continued to attract fresh inflows, while cyclical sectors like metals faced headwinds from weaker Chinese demand and falling commodity benchmarks, prompting short-term rotation toward defensives and high-dividend plays.