MUMBAI, India — Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty closed lower on Wednesday as investors turned cautious ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decision due later in the day.
The Sensex fell 275.01 points, or 0.32 per cent, to end at 84,391.27. The Nifty slipped 81.65 points, or 0.32 per cent, to settle at 25,758.
Market analysts said that “structurally, Nifty continues to face strong supply in the 25,940–26,050 zone,” keeping the broader setup range-bound to mildly bullish. They added that a decisive breakout above 26,000 remains crucial to revive upward momentum. On the downside, a sustained breach of 25,700 could expose the index to 25,600–25,500, with volatility expected near these support areas.
Bank Nifty also finished slightly lower, signaling a pause in the ongoing uptrend rather than a reversal. The index opened near 59,280, rose to 59,440, then slipped to an intra-day low of 58,850 before closing around 58,990, down nearly 0.4 per cent.
Among Sensex constituents, Tata Steel, Sun Pharma and ITC were the top gainers. Eternal, Trent and Bharti Airtel weighed on the index with notable losses.
Weak sentiment extended into the broader market as well. The Nifty MidCap 100 index declined 1.12 per cent, while the Nifty SmallCap 100 fell 0.90 per cent.
Sectorally, consumer durables saw the steepest drop, with the Nifty Consumer Durables index plunging 1.72 per cent. IT and PSU bank shares also declined, down 0.89 per cent and 0.70 per cent, respectively. In contrast, the Nifty Metal and Nifty Media indices finished in positive territory as the day’s top sectoral performers.
Experts said the focus now shifts to the U.S. Federal Reserve meeting, where a 25-basis-point rate cut is widely expected. However, they cautioned that internal divisions and mixed economic indicators may temper expectations of further rate cuts in 2026. (Source: IANS)
