New Delhi, 27 March (H.S.):
Domestic stock markets opened on a weak note today, with both the BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty slipping into negative territory in the first hour of trading. A wave of selling pressure right after the opening bell dragged the benchmarks lower, even as buyers attempted intermittent bids to stabilise the mood. By around 10.15 am, Sensex and Nifty were trading down by about 1.4 percent and 1.4 percent respectively, reflecting heightened risk aversion among investors.
The benchmark BSE Sensex began the session 389.66 points lower at 74,883.79. After a brief recovery to 74,904.91 on early buying, the index slid steadily as selling intensified. At one point, it shed nearly 1,100 points to touch 74,189.04, before trimming some losses to trade around 74,213.92 at 10.15 am, down 1,059.53 points for the day. The NSE Nifty also opened weak, slipping 132.90 points to 23,173.55. After a minor recovery to 23,186.10, persistent selling pressure pulled it down further, with the index standing at 22,981.90, down 324.55 points by 10.15 am.
Among individual stocks, heavyweight counters such as Tech Mahindra, Power Grid Corporation, TCS and Bharat Electronics advanced between 0.27 percent and 1.66 percent, providing some support to the broader market. In contrast, shares like Shriram Finance, Ultratech Cement, Bajaj Finance, Grasim Industries and Adani Enterprises plunged between 3.78 percent and 5.80 percent, amplifying the downside bias.
Overall market breadth remained skewed toward losses. In the broader market, trading was active in 3,010 stocks, of which 697 were in the green while 2,313 were in the red. Among the Sensex 30, only four stocks were in positive territory, with the remaining 26 trading in the negative zone. On the Nifty 50, four stocks were up while 46 were down, underscoring the broad‑based nature of the early‑session selloff.
Wednesday’s session had ended on a positive note, with the Sensex closing up 1,205 points or 1.63 percent at 75,273.45, and the Nifty gaining 394.05 points or 1.72 percent to 23,306.45. However, global cues and lingering geopolitical concerns, particularly around the US–Iran standoff and elevated crude prices, have returned to the fore, pushing Indian equities into defensive mode at the start of the new trading day.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
