Mumbai– Indian benchmark indices closed lower on Tuesday as investors remained cautious ahead of the release of July inflation data from both domestic and US sources, amid renewed tariff-related concerns.
The Sensex fell 368.49 points, or 0.46 percent, to close at 80,235.59. The 30-share index opened in negative territory at 80,508.51, down from the previous close of 80,604.08, and traded in a narrow range through a volatile session. The Nifty ended 97.65 points lower, or 0.40 percent, at 24,487.40.
Top laggards on the Sensex included Bajaj Finance, Trent, Hindustan Unilever, Eicher Motors, HDFC Bank, Bajaj Finserv, BEL, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Reliance Industries. On the upside, Maruti Suzuki, Tech Mahindra, Mahindra & Mahindra, NTPC, Sun Pharma, Tata Steel, and Titan posted gains.
Most sectoral indices ended in the red, with Nifty Financial Services down 270 points (1.02 percent), Nifty Bank losing 467.05 points (0.84 percent), and Nifty FMCG shedding 275 points (0.50 percent). Nifty IT and Nifty Auto bucked the trend, closing in positive territory.
In the broader market, performance was mixed: Nifty Next 50 and Nifty Smallcap 100 ended flat, while Nifty Midcap 100 dropped 154 points (0.27 percent) and Nifty 100 slipped 86 points (0.34 percent).
Market sentiment reflected global trade jitters, with investors reacting to developments in US–China tariff talks and positioning ahead of inflation data.
“The US inflation figures — particularly any signs of tariff-related impact — could influence the Fed’s policy stance. Meanwhile, domestic inflation is expected to stay within the RBI’s target range. Sector-wise, healthcare and automobile stocks posted gains, while financials and real estate weighed on the indices. In the near term, stock-specific movements are likely to dominate, with investors focusing on domestic consumption-led sectors to navigate volatility,” said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services.
The rupee traded flat near 87.70 against the dollar as the dollar index hovered around 98.30 with a slight positive bias. Firm crude oil prices continued to pressure the currency, while traders awaited the release of US CPI data later in the day for fresh cues, analysts said. (Source: IANS)
