Markets experienced slight declines on Monday afternoon as investors exercised caution ahead of the anticipated monetary policy decision from the US Federal Reserve later this week. The Sensex dropped by 0.16 percent to ₹81,775.74, while the Nifty 50 fell by 0.14 percent to 25,078.80 as of 1:45 PM.
The benchmark indices began the day positively but lost traction throughout the session, with noticeable selling pressure across major sectors. The Sensex opened at ₹81,925.51 after its previous close of ₹81,904.70, while the Nifty started at 25,118.90, compared to Friday’s close of 25,114.00.
Financial services stood out as the top-performing sector, with Jio Financial Services leading the Nifty 50 gainers, rising 1.03 percent to ₹314.40. Bajaj Finance increased by 0.85 percent to ₹1,011.75, while UltraTech Cement saw a gain of 0.48 percent to ₹12,429.00. Trent climbed 0.45 percent to ₹5,153.00, and Eicher Motors advanced 0.54 percent to ₹323.15.
Conversely, pharmaceutical and auto stocks faced selling pressure, with Shriram Finance leading the losers, declining 1.55 percent to ₹623.05. Dr Reddy’s Laboratories fell by 1.54 percent to ₹1,296.40, while Mahindra & Mahindra dropped by 1.47 percent to ₹3,537.30. Cipla and Asian Paints both saw declines of 1.42 percent, closing at ₹1,552.20 and ₹2,510.10 respectively.
Sectoral indices displayed mixed results, with Nifty Financial Services gaining 0.23 percent to 26,419.40 and Nifty Bank advancing by 0.21 percent to 54,903.55. The broader Nifty Midcap 100 index outperformed with a gain of 0.35 percent to 58,433.05, while Nifty Next 50 surged 0.59 percent to 68,594.75.
Market breadth was positive on the BSE, with 2,342 stocks advancing compared to 1,756 declining issues. A total of 136 stocks reached their 52-week highs, while 61 hit 52-week lows. Moreover, 259 stocks were locked in upper circuit filters, while 197 reached lower circuit limits.
Trading volumes remained moderate as investors adopted a wait-and-see approach prior to the Fed’s announcement. Market participants are closely observing global cues and domestic institutional flows, which have been supportive in recent sessions, despite the prevailing cautious sentiment in the markets.
Published on September 15, 2025
