Equity markets witnessed a volatile midday session on Monday, with the Sensex and Nifty experiencing downward pressure as investors navigated through a complex trading landscape. By 12:30 pm, the benchmark Sensex had declined 547.19 points or 0.67 per cent, trading at 81,585.93, while the Nifty50 slipped 165.70 points or 0.67 per cent to 24,602.60.
The market breadth revealed a mixed sentiment, with 2,207 advances against 1,784 declines out of the total 4,141 stocks traded on the BSE. Notably, 279 stocks touched their 52-week highs, while 18 hit 52-week lows. The market also saw 404 stocks in the upper circuit and 246 in the lower circuit, indicating significant stock-specific volatility.
Sectoral performance showed divergent trends. The Nifty Bank index retreated 248.30 points or 0.46 per cent to 53,335.50, while the Nifty Financial Services index declined 124.85 points or 0.50 per cent to 24,755.55. In contrast, the Nifty Midcap Select index showed resilience, gaining 25.70 points or 0.20 per cent to 13,160.20.
Among individual stocks, IndusInd Bank emerged as the top gainer, rising 0.85 per cent, followed by Dr. Reddy’s at 0.45 per cent, HDFC Life at 0.28 per cent, Bajaj Finance at 0.17 per cent, and Power Grid at 0.13 per cent. On the flip side, Titan led the losers, tumbling 2.11 per cent, with BPCL down 1.61 per cent, JSW Steel declining 1.48 per cent, Tech Mahindra falling 1.39 per cent, and UltraTech Cement dropping 1.39 per cent.
The Nifty Next 50 index marginally declined 28.45 points or 0.04 per cent to 72,937.50, reflecting the broader market’s cautious stance. This mid-day performance aligns with the morning’s opening sentiment of mild negativity, influenced by global economic uncertainties and anticipation of key central bank decisions.
With the market session still ongoing and the closing bell yet to ring, investors remain vigilant, continuously assessing the evolving market dynamics and potential sector-specific movements.
