Sensex, Nifty Fall Sharply On Global Trade Fears & Foreign Selling

The Indian equity markets slipped for the fifth consecutive session on Friday, reflecting cautious investor sentiment amid sustained foreign outflows and mounting global uncertainties.

At the close, the Sensex declined 605 points, or 0.72 per cent, to settle at 83,576, while the Nifty fell 193.5 points, or 0.75 per cent, to close at 25,683.

Both benchmark indices ended at their lowest levels in over two months, with the Nifty slipping below the key psychological mark of 25,700.

The index opened at 25,840, touched an intraday high of 25,940, and then faced sustained profit booking, falling to an intraday low of 25,648.

Investor sentiment remained subdued ahead of a US Supreme Court ruling on the legality of American tariffs and the release of India’s December inflation data scheduled for Monday.

Market confidence was further dented after US President Donald Trump approved a sanctions bill that could impose tariffs of up to 500 per cent on countries purchasing Russian oil, adding to global trade concerns.

Nifty Realty led losses, falling 2.12%, as most sectors traded in the red. Auto, FMCG and consumer durables also declined, while IT, PSU banks and oil and gas closed higher.

ONGC and Bharat Electronics were among the top gainers.

Broader markets remained weak, with the Nifty Midcap 100 down 0.69% and the Smallcap 100 slipping 0.79%.

The rupee weakened 22 paise to 90.11 against the dollar amid equity losses and FII selling. Analysts expect markets to trade range-bound amid geopolitical headwinds.

However, expectations of resilient domestic GDP growth and a potential recovery in third-quarter earnings, particularly among midcap stocks, could help stabilise investor sentiment in the coming sessions.

Also Read: Sensex And Nifty Open Lower Over US tariff Concerns And Global Market Jitters