Buy or sell stocks, Aug. 8 -- The key benchmark indices of the Indian stock market ended lower on Friday as a sharp sell-off in financial stocks, lingering uncertainty over a lasting peace agreement in the Middle East, and investor caution ahead of the closely watched U.S. non-farm payrolls report weighed on market sentiment. The US jobs data is expected to influence expectations for the Federal Reserve's policy trajectory, although it remains only one of several factors shaping market sentiment.

Financials bore the brunt of the decline after the Reserve Bank of India's draft proposal to tighten lending norms for non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) raised concerns over the sector's long-term growth prospects. Shares of Bajaj Finance ...