Mumbai– Indian stock markets ended in the red on Tuesday as rising geopolitical tensions rattled investor confidence, triggering widespread selling across key sectors.
The benchmark Sensex fell 155.77 points, or 0.19%, to close at 80,641.07. The broader Nifty 50 saw a sharper decline, dropping 81.55 points, or 0.33%, to settle at 24,379.60.
Losses were led by several heavyweight stocks. Eternal (formerly Zomato), State Bank of India (SBI), Tata Motors, and NTPC were among the biggest laggards on the Sensex, with declines ranging from 1.94% to 3.15%.
However, not all sectors were swept up in the downturn. Bharti Airtel, Tata Steel, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hindustan Unilever, and Nestle India were among the ten gainers on the Sensex, with Bharti Airtel posting the strongest gain at 1.66%.
The broader market experienced even steeper declines. The Nifty Midcap 100 index fell 2.27%, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 slid 2.50%, reflecting deeper selloffs beyond large-cap stocks.
Among sectoral indices, all but Nifty Auto closed lower on the NSE. Nifty PSU Bank bore the brunt, losing 1.18% to end at 54,271.40. Eleven out of twelve stocks in the PSU Bank index closed in negative territory.
Bank of Baroda led the declines, plunging 10.91%, followed by Union Bank of India and Bank of India, which fell 6.19% and 6.33%, respectively.
The real estate sector also faced significant pressure. The Nifty Realty index dropped 3.58%, weighed down by a 6.36% fall in Godrej Properties and a 4.96% loss in Sobha Limited.
Market volatility spiked as well, with the India VIX—widely viewed as the market’s “fear gauge”—climbing 3.58% to reach 19, signaling heightened nervousness among investors.
Analysts attributed the broad selloff to rising global uncertainty, prompting profit booking and caution across the board. With geopolitical tensions mounting and volatility on the rise, markets may remain under pressure in the near term. (Source: IANS)
