Markets continued their downward trend into the afternoon session on Wednesday, with both benchmark indices recording losses as the weakening rupee affected investor sentiment. The Sensex dropped 295.27 points, or 0.36 percent, to 81,806.83, while the Nifty 50 declined by 78.60 points, or 0.31 percent, to 25,090.90 as of 12:46 PM.
The markets opened lower following losses on Tuesday, with the Sensex initiating the day at 81,917.65 against a previous close of 82,102.10. During the session, the index reached a high of 82,045.47 and a low of 81,607.84. The Nifty opened at 25,108.75 compared to its previous close of 25,169.50, fluctuating between a high of 25,149.85 and a low of 25,027.45.
Foreign institutional investors continued to sell off shares, having divested ₹3,551 crore on September 23, pushing their monthly outflows past ₹17,000 crore. The rupee hit a record low of 88.78 against the dollar, exacerbating market worries. Comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell regarding valuations and inflation risks further complicated global risk appetite.
In terms of stock performance, consumer goods giant Hindustan Unilever led the Nifty gainers, increasing by 1.86 percent to ₹2,569.00. Stocks in the power sector also showed resilience, with NTPC rising by 1.76 percent to ₹349.05 and Power Grid Corporation gaining 1.65 percent to ₹293.35. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation increased by 1.20 percent to ₹239.50, while Larsen & Toubro added 1.10 percent to ₹3,698.00.
On the downside, Tata Motors led the decline, falling 2.05 percent to ₹686.95. IT stocks faced headwinds as Wipro dropped 1.85 percent to ₹245.01. Bharat Electronics fell 1.50 percent to ₹398.40, while IndusInd Bank was down 1.33 percent at ₹745.20. Hero MotoCorp also declined 1.31 percent to ₹5,300.00.
Broader markets also underperformed, with the Nifty Midcap 100 down 0.60 percent to 58,145.15 and the Nifty Next 50 declining 0.63 percent to 69,215.75. Sectoral indices exhibited mixed results; the Nifty Financial Services index fell 0.74 percent to 26,363.50, and the Nifty Bank index decreased 0.67 percent to 55,134.85.
Across the BSE, a total of 4,167 stocks were traded, with market breadth tilting negative as 2,331 stocks declined against 1,645 that advanced, while 191 remained unchanged. A total of 149 stocks reached fresh 52-week highs, while 60 hit new lows. Additionally, 197 stocks were locked in their upper circuit, while 150 hit their lower circuit, indicating mixed sentiment in broader market activity.
Despite domestic institutional support, which saw inflows surpassing ₹43,000 crore in September, market sentiment remains cautious due to ongoing global challenges and high valuations. Trading volumes held steady as investors awaited further guidance on monetary policy and corporate earnings expectations.
Published on September 24, 2025.
