Mumbai: Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty buckled under selling pressure for the fifth straight session Friday, falling nearly 1 per cent, as investors turned cautious due to growing concerns over potential US tariff hikes amid lingering geopolitical worries.
The relentless foreign capital flight from Indian markets also affected the market sentiment, traders said.
After a brief rebound in early trade, the 30-share BSE Sensex failed to carry forward the momentum and tumbled 604.72 points, or 0.72 per cent, to sink below the 84,000-level and settle at 83,576.24. During the day, it dropped 778.68 points, or 0.92 per cent, to 83,402.28.
The 50-share NSE Nifty dropped 193.55 points or 0.75 per cent to 25,683.30.
From the 30-Sensex firms, NTPC, ICICI Bank, Adani Ports, Bharti Airtel, Sun Pharma and Bajaj Finance were among the biggest laggards.
However, Asian Paints, HCL Tech, Bharat Electronics and Reliance Industries were among the gainers.
On Thursday, the Sensex fell 780.18 points or 0.92 per cent to settle at 84,180.96. The Nifty tumbled 263.90 points or 1.01 per cent to 25,876.85.
Foreign institutional investors offloaded equities worth Rs 3,367.12 crore Thursday, and Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) bought stocks worth Rs 3,701.17 crore, according to exchange data.
“Domestic risk-off sentiment has intensified amid uncertainty surrounding US-India tariff negotiations and escalating geopolitical tensions,” Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said.
In Asian markets, South Korea’s Kospi index, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index, Shanghai’s SSE Composite index and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index ended higher.
Markets in Europe were trading in positive territory. US markets ended on a mixed note Thursday.
“Indian equity markets remained under sustained pressure throughout the week, weighed down by elevated global trade uncertainty following renewed tariff-related remarks from US President Donald Trump,” Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, an online trading and wealth tech firm, said.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose 0.18 per cent to USD 62.10 per barrel.
PTI
