Sensex Slides in Choppy Trade, Ends 114 Points Lower
Sensex Slides in Choppy Trade, Ends 114 Points Lower
Indian benchmarks close lower after a volatile session as overseas fund outflows and geopolitical jitters weigh on sentiment.
Indian equity benchmarks slid into a cautious close on Thursday after a volatile session. The Sensex ended 114 points lower at 77,844.52, while the Nifty 50 settled down just 0.02% at 24,326.65. Intraday moves were wide, with the Sensex hitting a high of 78,384.70 and a low of 77,713.21, signaling a day of unsettled trading as investors weighed external cues and domestic signals.
Among the major laggards were Hindustan Unilever, Tata Consultancy Services, Tech Mahindra, Titan, Sun Pharma and ITC. Conversely, gainers included Mahindra & Mahindra, NTPC, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Tata Steel as some pockets showed resilience amid the market churn. Brent crude traded around $99 a barrel, reflecting softer oil prices on the day. The rupee weakened to 94.77 per dollar, while foreign institutional investors withdrew about ₹5,834.90 crore in the previous session, underscoring persistent foreign outflows amid geopolitical uncertainties.
Externally, the latest global backdrop painted a mixed picture: Asian peers such as Korea’s Kospi, Japan’s Nikkei 225, Shanghai’s SSE Composite and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng traded higher, even as Europe edged lower and U.S. markets closed higher in the prior session. Analysts noted that ongoing macro headwinds and geopolitical tensions continued to temper risk appetite in Indian equities.
Analysts at Enrich Money observed that markets paused for confirmation before attempting any sustained momentum, with traders prioritizing liquidity and quality names as volatility persisted. Investors were also watching oil and currency moves for clues on domestic inflation and policy guidance.
