MUMBAI — Indian benchmark equity indices ended lower on Tuesday, pressured by weak global cues and broad-based selling in banking, metals, and real estate stocks.
The BSE Sensex fell 533.50 points, or 0.63 percent, to close at 84,679.86, while the NSE Nifty declined 167.20 points, or 0.64 percent, to finish at 25,860.10.
Market analysts said the breach of key technical support levels added to the negative sentiment.
“On the downside, support at 25,870 was breached, which intensified bearish sentiment,” analysts said. “In the short term, the index could drift toward 25,700 or lower, while the 25,950–26,000 range is likely to act as a near-term resistance.”
Banking and financial stocks led the decline. Axis Bank and Eternal were the worst performers among Sensex constituents, sliding as much as 5 percent.
Other heavyweight stocks including HCL Technologies, Tata Steel, Bajaj Finserv, UltraTech Cement, Bajaj Finance, and NTPC also ended more than 1 percent lower, weighing heavily on the benchmarks.
Gains were limited and selective. Titan and Bharti Airtel rose more than 1 percent each, providing modest support. Shares of Mahindra & Mahindra, Asian Paints, and Trent also closed higher, though not enough to offset broader losses.
The weakness extended to the broader market. The Nifty Midcap 100 index fell 0.83 percent, while the Nifty Smallcap index declined 0.92 percent.
Sector-wise, real estate and private banking stocks saw the steepest losses, with the Nifty Realty and Nifty Private Bank indices dropping more than 1 percent each. Public-sector bank stocks also remained under pressure, and the Nifty IT index ended 0.84 percent lower.
Consumer durables and media were the only sectors to finish in positive territory.
Meanwhile, the Indian rupee weakened further during the session, touching a fresh all-time low of 91.01 against the U.S. dollar, adding to investor concerns over global uncertainty and capital flows. (Source: IANS)
