The BSE Sensex fell 322 points to close at 85,440, while the Nifty 50 slipped below the 26,300 mark to end at 26,250. Markets closed lower after a volatile session, as early gains fizzled out due to profit-booking in heavyweight stocks.
Markets opened on a firm note, tracking positive cues from Asian peers and strong indications from GIFT Nifty. The Nifty even touched a fresh intraday high of around 26,370 in early trade. However, selling pressure soon emerged in banking and IT stocks, pulling the benchmarks into the red by afternoon.
HDFC Bank, Infosys, HCL Technologies, Wipro and ONGC were among the top losers, weighing heavily on the indices. Weakness in large private banks and continued caution in IT stocks amid global uncertainty dented investor sentiment.
On the other hand, selective buying supported a few pockets of the market. Nestle India, Bharat Electronics, Eicher Motors, Asian Paints and Tata Steel ended the session higher, offering limited support to the broader market.
Sectorally, IT, oil & gas and telecom indices underperformed, while realty, consumer durables, metals and FMCG stocks showed relative resilience. Mid-cap and small-cap stocks also saw mild selling, reflecting a cautious undertone.
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