Markets End Lower As Investors Turn Cautious Ahead Of US–India Trade Talks

Indian stock markets ended lower on Tuesday as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of the US–India trade talks, with selling pressure concentrated mainly in consumer durables and realty stocks.

The benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, remained within a narrow range throughout the session as market participants refrained from taking aggressive positions ahead of the key discussions between the two countries.

The Sensex closed at 83,627.69, down 250.48 points or 0.30 per cent. The Nifty also ended in the red, slipping 57.95 points, or 0.22 per cent, to settle at 25,732.30.

According to analysts, immediate support for the Nifty is located at 25,650–25,600, and a sustained break below this level could intensify downside pressure toward 25,500.

On the upside, the market faces resistance at 25,800–25,900, with a stronger barrier at 25,950–26,000.

Experts said the index must close decisively above this range to pave the way for a move towards 26,100 and higher.

Market sentiment remained cautious after US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on Monday that India and the United States are likely to hold trade talks on Tuesday, adding to the subdued mood on Dalal Street.

Among Sensex constituents, Eternal, Tech Mahindra and ICICI Bank emerged as the top gainers, offering some support to the benchmark index.

However, losses in Trent, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and IndiGo weighed heavily on the market and dragged the benchmarks into negative territory.

The broader market showed a mixed trend. The Nifty Midcap 100 index ended 0.20 per cent lower, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 index managed to close 0.60 per cent higher.

Sectoral Performance

On the sectoral front, consumer durables stocks were among the worst performers, with the Nifty Consumer Durables index declining 0.89 per cent.

Realty stocks also remained under pressure, with the sector falling 0.62 per cent.

In contrast, PSU bank stocks outperformed the broader market, with the Nifty PSU Bank index rising 0.78 per cent. Media stocks also saw buying interest and ended 0.76 per cent higher.

Analysts said market sentiment is to remain cautious in the near term as investors await clarity from the US–India trade talks, which are likely to influence market direction.

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