Nifty, Sensex Drop for 8th Day; Small-cap Snaps 6-Day Losing Streak

Market Update at 4:15 PM: On Tuesday, September 30, Indian equity benchmark indices opened higher but soon turned cautious, extending losses for the eighth consecutive session ahead of the Reserve Bank of India’s monetary policy decision.

At the close, the Nifty 50 fell 23.8 points, or 0.10 per cent, to 24,611.10, while the Sensex dropped 97.32 points, or 0.12 per cent, to 80,267.62.

Ahead of the RBI policy, banking stocks ended in green. The Nifty Bank rose 0.32 per cent, while the Nifty PSU Bank surged 1.84 per cent after the central bank eased lending norms while tightening oversight on lenders. High-weight financials, represented by the Nifty Financial Services index, also gained 0.06 per cent.

The Nifty Metal index climbed 1.16 per cent, supported by a weaker USD and global supply concerns, which made metals cheaper for holders of other currencies. In contrast, rate-sensitive sectors underperformed, with the Nifty FMCG down 0.43 per cent and Nifty Realty slipping 0.82 per cent, partially offsetting gains in banks and metals.

Five out of 11 key sectors closed in positive territory, while the broader indices—Nifty Midcap and Small-Cap—ended the session mixed.

Among individual stocks, Man Industries tumbled 10.50 per cent after the markets regulator barred the company and its key executives from the securities market for alleged fund diversion. Bharat Electronics rose 1 per cent on winning orders worth Rs 1,092 crore. Bharat Heavy Electricals surged over 2 per cent as the company received notifications of award from M.P. Power Generating Company (MPPGCL) for two projects.

The Nifty PSU Bank index surged 1.84 per cent, extending yesterday’s gains, with all constituents ending in positive territory. On the other hand, the Nifty Media index declined 1.23 per cent, extending its six-day losing streak.

Top Gainers of the day included Adani Ports, up 1.66 per cent to Rs 1,406.10; UltraTech Cement, up 1.65 per cent to Rs 12,240; and JSW Steel, up 1.61 per cent to Rs 1,140.30. Top Losers included IndiGo, down 2.03 per cent to Rs 5,591; ITC, down 1.36 per cent to Rs 401.70; and Bajaj FinServ, down 1.17 per cent to Rs 2,001.

The broader market indices ended on a mixed note. The Mid-Cap 100 index ended down 0.01 per cent, while the Small-cap 100 index closed up 0.08 per cent, snapping a six-day losing streak.

As of September 30, 2025, market breadth was mostly balanced. Out of 3,118 stocks traded on the NSE, 1,517 advanced, 1,507 declined, and 94 remained unchanged. A total of 79 stocks touched their 52-week highs, while 109 hit their 52-week lows. Additionally, 67 stocks were locked in their upper circuits, whereas 68 stocks were in lower circuits.

Market Update at 12:30 PM: Indian equity benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, were trading flat on Wednesday amid mixed global cues and caution ahead of the Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decision.

At 12:00 PM, the BSE Sensex was trading at 80,370.55 levels, up 5.6 points or 0.01 per cent. The Nifty50 was at 24,629.85 levels, up 5.05 points or 0.02 per cent.

On the BSE, Bharat Electronics, Adani Ports, HCL Tech, Hindustan Unilever, and Tech Mahindra emerged as top gainers. Meanwhile, ITC, Bharti Airtel, Reliance Industries, Larsen & Toubro, and Bajaj Finserv were among the top losers.

In the broader market, the Nifty SmallCap 100 index was trading flat with a slight negative bias, while the Nifty MidCap 100 index was up 0.15 per cent.

On the sectoral front, Nifty PSU Bank was the top performer, rising nearly 2 per cent, followed by Nifty Metal, which gained over 1.5 per cent. On the other hand, Nifty Consumer Durables and Realty indices were the biggest drags, down 0.6 per cent each.

Market Update at 10:15 AM: India’s equity benchmarks opened higher on Tuesday, following seven consecutive sessions of decline. The gains were supported by high-weight financial stocks after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) eased lending norms, while metal stocks rose amid a weaker USD.

The Nifty 50 was up 0.38 per cent at 24,725.15, while the BSE Sensex added 0.37 per cent to 80,648.72, as of 9:22 a.m. IST. All 16 major sectors logged gains at the open.

High-weight financials and banks gained 0.5 per cent each, while private banks rose 0.6 per cent. The uptick followed the RBI’s move to ease lending norms while tightening oversight, ahead of its monetary policy decision scheduled for Wednesday. 

Metals advanced 1 per cent, emerging as the top sectoral gainers, supported by a weaker USD and concerns over global supply. A weaker USD makes metals cheaper for holders of other currencies, boosting demand.

The broader small-cap and mid-cap indices also gained, with small-caps rising 0.2 per cent and mid-caps up 0.3 per cent.

Pre-Market Update at 7:35 AM: On Tuesday, September 30, equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty 50 are expected to see a muted start, tracking mixed global market signals. At 7:13 AM, the GIFT Nifty was quoting at 24,692, up by 6 points. The impact of recent global policy actions has eased slightly; however, persistent foreign fund outflows and caution ahead of the Reserve Bank of India’s policy meeting continue to weigh on sentiment.

On Monday, September 29, Foreign Institutional Investors (DII ">FIIs) were net sellers, offloading equities worth Rs 2,831.59 crore, taking total September outflows to Rs 32,973.27 crore. In contrast, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) remained net buyers for the 25th consecutive session, purchasing equities worth Rs 3,845.87 crore.

Indian equities opened higher on Monday but slipped due to profit booking, marking the seventh straight day of decline. The Nifty 50 ended 19.80 points lower at 24,634.90, while the Sensex fell 61.52 points to close at 80,364.94. Oil and gas marketing companies provided support, with the Nifty Oil & Gas index gaining 1.35 per cent and the Nifty PSE index rising 1.17 per cent, led by Petronet LNG, BPCL, HPCL, and Indian Oil. India’s IIP rose 4 per cent year-on-year in August, higher than July’s 3.5 per cent but below the 5 per cent forecast.

In the US, Wall Street closed higher on Monday, driven by technology stocks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 68.78 points to 46,316.07, the S&P 500 gained 17.51 points to 6,661.21, and the Nasdaq advanced 107.09 points to 22,591.15. Optimism around artificial intelligence and expectations of continued Fed rate cuts supported sentiment. Asian markets traded mixed in early Tuesday trade, while China’s factory activity contracted for the sixth straight month with a manufacturing PMI of 49.8, still below the 50 threshold. Minutes from the Bank of Japan’s September meeting showed discussions on possible rate hikes.

US President Donald Trump announced new import tariffs of 10 per cent on lumber and 25 per cent on vanities, kitchen cabinets, and upholstered wooden furniture starting October 14. From January 1, 2026, tariffs will rise further, with up to 50 per cent duties on imports from countries without trade agreements. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance warned that the US is likely heading toward a government shutdown, as talks between President Trump and Democratic leaders showed little progress.

Gold surged in Asian trade, with spot gold up 0.42 per cent at USD 3,848.98 per ounce. On MCX, gold futures rose 1.46 per cent to Rs 1,15,448 per 10 gm, hitting a record high of Rs 1,15,595. Crude oil extended losses, with WTI futures near USD 63 per barrel and Brent below USD 67. The US dollar index eased to 97.948 as investors remained cautious ahead of a potential US government shutdown.

For today, RBL Bank and Samaan Capital will remain on the F&O ban list.

Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.