Indian equity benchmarks traded lower in afternoon trade on Thursday, dragged by selling pressure in private banks, FMCG, and realty stocks. The Sensex declined over 600 points, while the Nifty slipped below the 25,700 mark, reflecting weak domestic cues despite firm Asian markets.
The BSE Sensex was down sharply, while broader markets also remained under pressure. The BSE Midcap index fell 0.3%, and the Smallcap index declined 0.7%, indicating subdued risk appetite among investors.
On the sectoral front, IT, PSU Bank, and Oil & Gas indices gained 0.5–1%, offering some support to the benchmarks. In contrast, the Realty index tumbled 2%, the FMCG index slipped 0.5%, and the Private Bank index shed 0.7%, emerging as key laggards.
Among Nifty stocks, ICICI Bank, Adani Enterprises, Adani Ports, NTPC, and Max Healthcare were among the top losers. Meanwhile, HCL Technologies, Asian Paints, Eternal, ONGC, and Bharat Electronics featured among the top gainers.
Asian Markets Update
Asian equities traded higher for the first time in three sessions, led by strong gains in Japan. The Nikkei surged 1.6%, while markets in Hong Kong and mainland China posted modest advances, providing some global support amid otherwise cautious sentiment.
