The Indian stock market opened in the red on Friday, reflecting rising geopolitical tensions between Iran and Israel, coupled with weak global cues. Early trading showed significant selling pressure across key sectors, including Information Technology (IT), automotive, pharmaceuticals, and Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) banks.
As of the latest reports, the BSE Sensex was down 254.43 points, or 0.31%, trading at 80,752.18. Similarly, the Nifty index opened at 24,675.30, a decline of 74.55 points, or 0.3%. Market sentiment remained negative, with 1,941 stocks on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) trading in the red compared to just 283 in the green.
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The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) mirrored this trend, with 2,166 stocks declining against 588 gaining.
In sector-specific performances, the Nifty Bank index fell to 51,055.00, down 233.80 points or 0.46%. The Nifty Midcap 100 index also faced losses, trading at 57,636.95 after a drop of 829 points or 1.42%. The Nifty Smallcap 100 index recorded a decline of 392.20 points, or 2.06%, settling at 18,673.75.
Among individual stocks, Wipro, Axis Bank, and TCS emerged as the top gainers in the Nifty pack. Conversely, Bajaj Auto, Titan Company, Infosys, Maruti Suzuki, and Shri Ram Finance were among the top losers.
In broader Asian markets, only Seoul’s stock exchange bucked the trend, while markets in Bangkok, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Jakarta, and Tokyo traded positively. The US markets also closed higher in their last trading session.
Market analysts note that a 6% correction in the Nifty from its peak has positioned India as an underperformer, with a year-to-date (YTD) return of just 13.83%, compared to a robust 23.16% in the S&P 500. Notably, the Hang Seng index has seen a YTD return of 23.16%, benefiting from substantial buying by Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs).
Experts anticipate that the current trend of FII selling and Domestic Institutional Investor (DII) buying may persist. While a bounce back in the market could occur in the next few days, analysts caution that sustaining this recovery may be challenging due to weakened investor sentiment.
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