Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty witnessed sustained selling pressure throughout the session and closed lower amid rising crude prices, which have again become a pain point for Indian equities. The 30-share BSE Sensex closed 715.06 points or 0.92 lower at 76,755.05. During the day, the benchmark hit a high of 77,384.95 and a low of 76,641.19, gyrating 743.76 points. The 50-share NSE Nifty was down by 191.45 points or 0.79 per cent and ended the session at 23,996.25. The broader market ended the session in the red. While the BSE MidCap Select Index fell 245.57 points or 1.33 per cent, the BSE SmallCap Select Index dropped 102.23 points or 1.16 per cent.
Among sectoral indices, Nifty Realty and Nifty PSU Bank witnessed selling pressure, followed by Nifty IT.
“Selling pressure intensified today as all the sectoral indices, barring FMCG, ended in the red due to rising global crude oil prices. As crude oil prices showed a renewed upward bias, worries about higher inflation and widening deficits kept sentiment bearish throughout the session. A sharp decline in the currency against the dollar also weighed heavily on the sentiment,” said Ankur Punj, MD & Business Head at Equirus Wealth.
Top gainers and losers
Among the 30-Sensex firms, Hindustan Unilever, NTPC, PowerGrid, Titan, and Bharti Airtel were the major gainers, with Hindustan Unilever gaining 0.75 per cent today. On the flip side, Indigo, Infosys, SBIN, UltraTech Cement and ICICI Bank were among the laggards. The shares of Indigo fell 3.57 per cent today.
Today, shares of 6 out of 30 Sensex companies closed in the green, while the remaining 24 closed in the red. On the other hand, shares of 10 out of 50 Nifty 50 companies also closed in the green, with gains, while the 40 others closed in the red.
Rupee falls 14 paise
Meanwhile, the rupee traded weaker, depreciating around 0.33 per cent to 96.56, as a sharp rally in crude oil prices continued to weigh on the domestic currency. Brent crude surged to around USD 91.40 per barrel, extending its recent gains of over 4–5 per cent, raising concerns over India’s import bill and inflation outlook.
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(This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, financial, or other advice.)
