Indian Stock Market: The Indian stock market witnessed a volatile and largely negative trading session on Wednesday as selling pressure dominated Dalal Street. Benchmark indices opened sharply lower due to rising geopolitical tensions, weak cues from global markets, and sustained foreign institutional investor selling. Although markets recovered part of the early losses, overall sentiment remained cautious throughout the first half of the session.
The Nifty 50 index slipped below the psychologically important 25,000 level in early trade, reflecting nervousness among investors. At the same time, the BSE Sensex registered a steep fall of over 1,000 points during morning deals, indicating broad-based weakness across sectors.
In early trade, the Nifty 50 declined to around 24,919, while the Sensex touched an intraday low near 81,124. Heavy selling in banking, automobile, and capital goods stocks contributed significantly to the sharp fall. However, as the session progressed, selective buying in heavyweight stocks helped both indices recover some of the lost ground.
By around midday, the Nifty 50 managed to climb back above the 25,100 mark, trading marginally lower compared to the previous close. The Sensex also recovered substantially, trimming losses to just over 100 points. Despite this recovery, market breadth remained weak, with declining stocks continuing to outnumber advancing ones.
A few stocks managed to outperform the broader market, supported by stock-specific developments and defensive buying. Shares of Eternal emerged as the top performer on the Nifty 50, gaining more than four percent. InterGlobe Aviation also witnessed buying interest, rising over one percent.
Cement, energy, and metal stocks showed resilience, with UltraTech Cement, ONGC, JSW Steel, and Power Grid posting modest gains. Technology and auto-related stocks such as TCS and Tata Motors passenger vehicle segment also ended up in positive territory, indicating selective accumulation by long-term investors.
On the downside, banking and financial stocks faced intense selling pressure. ICICI Bank led the losers on the Nifty 50, falling close to two percent. Other major laggards included Axis Bank, Kotak Bank, and Eicher Motors.
Capital goods and defense-related stocks such as L&T and BEL also traded lower, while consumer-focused companies like Trent and Nestle India remained under pressure. Weakness in these heavyweight stocks limited the overall recovery in benchmark indices.
The Sensex reflected a similar pattern, with Eternal once again leading the gainers list. InterGlobe Aviation, UltraTech Cement, Power Grid, and Bajaj Finance provided some support to the index. Selective buying was also seen in telecom and energy stocks, including Bharti Airtel and Reliance Industries.
On the losing side, banking stocks dominated the Sensex decliners. ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, and Kotak Bank weighed heavily on the index. Auto and FMCG stocks such as Maruti Suzuki and Nestle India also traded in the red, along with IT majors including HCL Tech and Infosys.
Global cues remained unfavorable, adding to domestic market uncertainty. Asian markets mostly traded lower, with indices in South Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong witnessing declines. The Shanghai Composite, however, managed to trade slightly higher, offering limited comfort.
Overnight, US markets saw a sharp sell-off, which impacted investor sentiment across global equities. The Nasdaq Composite recorded significant losses, while the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average also closed deep in the red. Concerns over global growth, interest rate outlook, and geopolitical risks continued to influence investor behavior.
Market participants are expected to remain cautious in the near term as global volatility, geopolitical developments, and foreign fund flows continue to drive sentiment. Investors may focus on upcoming macroeconomic data, corporate earnings, and central bank commentary for further direction. Until clarity emerges, Indian equity markets may continue to witness range-bound movement with heightened intraday volatility.
