New Delhi, 13 April (H.S.):

The domestic stock market evinced pronounced pressure during initial trading today, inaugurating proceedings with a precipitous near two percent decline. Both benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, exhibited exacerbated frailty upon market opening, though subsequent buying salvaged partial recovery—insufficient to erase the predominant bearishness. By 10:00 AM, Sensex languished 1.65% lower, while Nifty mirrored at 1.64% down.

Among marquee constituents, Asian Paints, Eicher Motors, ICICI Bank, Shriram Finance, and Bajaj Auto bucked the trend, ascending 3.12% to 4.01%. Conversely, Coal India, Sun Pharma, Infosys, TCS, and Tech Mahindra succumbed to selling, depreciating 1.46% to 4.40%.

Trading encompassed 2,793 active scrips: 508 advanced (green), 2,285 declined (red). Of Sensex's 30 components, a solitary stock resided in positive territory, 29 in red; Nifty's 50 saw eight green, 42 red.

BSE's Sensex commenced at 75,937.16, shedding 1,613.09 points, plummeting to 75,868.32 under selling onslaught before buying tempered it to 76,268.74—a 1,281.51-point or 1.65% retreat by 10:00 AM. NSE's Nifty opened at 23,589.60 (down 461 points), skidded to 23,555.60, stabilizing at 23,654.50—a 396.10-point or 1.64% erosion.

Preceding Friday's finale witnessed Sensex surge 918.60 points (1.20%) to 77,550.25; Nifty vaulted 275.50 points (1.16%) to 24,050.60.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar