Indian equity benchmark indices concluded Wednesday’s session on a downtrend for the third consecutive day, influenced by escalating geopolitical tensions that led to investor wariness. The Sensex finished at 81,909.63, marking a decline of 270.84 points or 0.33 percent. Similarly, the Nifty ended at 25,157.5, down by 75 points or 0.3 percent.
According to a market expert, a sustained breach below 25,130 could trigger a downside movement towards 24,920–24,900. The current price action indicates a phase of consolidation post-exhaustion, rather than a confirmed trend reversal, as the index recorded its fourth successive weak closure.
The day witnessed selling pressure in several heavyweight stocks on the BSE, with ICICI Bank, Trent, BEL, Axis Bank, and L&T emerging as the primary drags on the index. Conversely, buying interest was noted in stocks like Eternal, UltraTech Cement, Adani Ports, and IndiGo, which helped mitigate deeper losses.
In terms of sectors, the chemical segment experienced the most significant decline, with the Nifty Chemical index dropping by 2.12 percent. This was followed by losses in Nifty Consumer Durables, which fell by 1.66 percent, and Nifty Bank, closing 1.02 percent lower.
On a positive note, metal and oil and gas stocks displayed resilience, with the Nifty Metal index rising by 0.57 percent and the oil and gas index gaining 0.27 percent. The broader market also faced downward pressure, with the Nifty MidCap 100 index declining by 1.14 percent, while the Nifty SmallCap index wrapped up the session 0.9 percent lower.
Meanwhile, the Rupee traded weakly below 91.60, marking a decrease of nearly 0.70 percent, influenced by mounting geopolitical tensions involving Europe and Greenland. Additionally, fresh concerns over US tariff actions and the absence of a confirmed India–US trade deal continued to impact market sentiment.
An expert mentioned that a sharp surge in bullion prices has further strained the rupee by inflating the import bill. The currency is expected to remain volatile within a broad range of 90.90–92 in the near term.
