Indian equity markets saw gains on Friday, with the Nifty rising by 0.74% to end above the 18,800 level. Mid- and small-caps outperformed the headline indices, while the Nifty Mid-cap index hit an all-time high. The bullish market sentiment was due to hopes of an extended pause in rate changes by the Fed, coupled with an increase in retail sales and a decline in import prices. Technically, the Nifty formed a long bull candle, indicating a positive trend. Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) showed bullish trades on the likes of BHEL and HDFC while signals of weakness were seen on IOC and Sobha among others.