Nifty & Sensex Snap 6-Day Rally; Nifty Falls 103 Points, Sensex Down 277 Points

Market Update at 4:00 PM: Indian equity benchmark indices ended lower on Tuesday, November 18, marking the end of a 6-day winning streak. The markets were dragged down mainly by IT and metal stocks, leading to broad-based weakness across sectors. The Nifty 50 closed down by 103.40 points or 0.40 per cent at 25,910.05, while the Sensex slipped 277.93 points or 0.33 per cent to settle at 84,673.02. Both indices are now around 1.4 per cent below their record highs. India VIX rose more than 2.5 per cent and moved above the 12 level, reflecting an uptick in market volatility.

All eleven sectoral indices ended in the red. The Nifty Metal index declined 1.11 per cent, tracking weakness in global metals. Prices of base metals such as copper and aluminium continued to fall under pressure from a stronger USD, which makes dollar-denominated commodities costlier for investors in other currencies.

 The Nifty IT index also dropped 1.2 per cent as uncertainty grew around the US Federal Reserve’s December interest rate decision. Policymakers remain divided on whether a rate cut is likely, adding to the cautious sentiment for Indian IT companies that generate significant revenue from the US market.

Broader market indices followed the same trend. The Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 100 indices also ended lower, mirroring the weakness in frontline indices and indicating widespread selling across the market.

Market Update at 2:30 PM: Indian stock markets traded higher on Monday, rebounding from last Friday’s decline, as investors reacted positively to the NDA’s win in the Bihar elections 2025 and monitored stock-specific movements following quarterly earnings. The broader sentiment improved through the session, supported by gains in index heavyweights and strength across sectors.

Around 2:00 PM, the BSE Sensex was positioned at 84,892.19, up 329.41 points or 0.39 per cent. The Nifty50 also moved higher to 26,003.60, rising 91.25 points or 0.36 per cent. Buying interest was seen in select blue-chip counters, helping stabilise market mood after the previous session’s volatility.

M&M, Eternal, Maruti Suzuki, Titan, Bajaj Finance, Kotak Bank, and Power Grid emerged as the top Sensex gainers in early trade, with gains of up to 1.5 per cent. On the other hand, Tata Motors PV declined nearly 5 per cent, making it the top loser. BEL, Ultratech Cement, Asian Paints, Tata Steel, and Adani Ports also witnessed selling pressure.

In the broader market, both Nifty Midcap100 and Nifty Smallcap100 posted gains of 0.75 per cent and 0.50 per cent, respectively, indicating continued traction in mid- and Small-Cap segments. Sectorally, the Bank Nifty index hit a fresh record high at 58,830 after rising 0.5 per cent. The Nifty PSU Bank index gained 1.2 per cent, while the Nifty Auto and Media indices added 0.9 per cent each. The Nifty Consumer Durables index also moved higher by 0.8 per cent.

Overall, domestic equities showed resilience amid political clarity and stock-specific action, contributing to a positive start for the week.

Market Update at 12:30 PM: Indian stock markets declined on Tuesday, weighed by weakness in global cues, with the benchmark indices ending lower by up to 0.4 per cent. The BSE Sensex closed at 84,672 after a fall of 279 points, while the Nifty50 settled at 25,913, down 101 points. The overall sentiment remained soft as global uncertainty limited risk appetite among investors.

Tata Steel, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, Kotak Bank, L&T, M&M, Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech, Sun Pharma, and Titan Company were the major laggards on the Sensex, declining in the range of 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent. On the positive side, Bharat Electronics, Bharti Airtel, Axis Bank, Eternal, and SBI were the only gainers, rising up to 0.5 per cent.

The broader markets also reflected the downtrend, with the Nifty MidCap index falling 0.48 per cent and the Nifty SmallCap index slipping 0.85 per cent. All major sectoral indices were in the red. The Nifty Metal index dropped 1.5 per cent, followed by the Nifty Realty index at 1.4 per cent and the Nifty IT index at 0.8 per cent, highlighting weakness across sectors amid global market pressure.

Market Update at 10:30 AM: India’s key equity indices opened lower on Tuesday after six consecutive sessions of gains, as traders turned cautious ahead of important U.S. economic releases that may indicate whether the Federal Reserve will proceed with a rate cut next month. The Nifty 50 slipped 0.25 per cent to Rs 25,951.55, while the Sensex dipped 0.23 per cent to Rs 84,758.64 by 9:21 a.m. IST.

All major sectoral indices traded in negative territory, reflecting broad weakness across the market. The small-cap index fell 0.5 per cent, and the Mid-Cap index was lower by 0.3 per cent. The recent six-day rally had added nearly 2 per cent, supported by steady domestic inflows, a relatively stable earnings season, and sentiment improvement after the U.S. government shutdown ended. Despite the pullback, both benchmarks continue to trade about 1.3 per cent below their all-time highs recorded in September 2024.

Global cues remained weak. Overnight, U.S. markets ended lower, while Asian shares declined 1.6 per cent as expectations of a December U.S. rate cut faded. Investors are awaiting key U.S. data releases, including the September jobs report, which could influence the Federal Reserve’s next policy move in USD terms.

Pre-Market Update at 7:40 AM: Equity benchmark indices, the Sensex and Nifty 50, are expected to open lower on Tuesday, November 18, as global markets show weakness. Trends on the GIFT Nifty indicate a negative start, with the index trading 25 points lower at 26,005 around 7:05 AM.

The initial phase of the India–US bilateral trade agreement is close to finalisation. As per a government official quoted by PTI, this phase is expected to address the 50 per cent tariffs imposed on Indian products during the Trump administration and also respond to US concerns regarding market access.

India’s unemployment rate for individuals aged 15 and above remained stable at 5.2 per cent in October. Rural unemployment eased from 4.6 per cent to 4.4 per cent, while urban unemployment increased slightly from 6.8 per cent to 7 per cent. India’s exports fell 11.8 per cent to USD 34.38 billion in October due to higher US tariffs. Imports rose 16.63 per cent to USD 76.06 billion, driven by increased purchases of gold, silver, fertilisers, cotton raw/waste, and sulphur, expanding the trade deficit to a record USD 41.68 billion.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net buyers on Monday, November 17, purchasing equities worth Rs 442.17 crore. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) continued their buying streak for the 17th straight session, with net purchases worth Rs 1,465.86 crore.

On Monday, Indian equity markets extended their winning streak for the sixth consecutive session. The Nifty 50 rose 103.40 points (0.40 per cent) to 26,013.45, while the Sensex climbed 388.17 points (0.46 per cent) to 84,950.95. Both indices remain just 1 per cent below their record highs. Lower India VIX, which slipped nearly 1.5 per cent to below 12, supported sentiment. Financial stocks led the gains, with the Nifty PSU Bank index rising over 1 per cent and the Bank Nifty hitting a new all-time high with a 0.76 per cent gain. Broader markets also closed higher.

In the US, markets closed sharply lower on Monday as technology stocks declined ahead of Nvidia’s Quarterly Results and key US jobs data. The Dow Jones fell 557.24 points (1.18 per cent) to 46,590.24. The S&P 500 dropped 61.70 points (0.92 per cent) to 6,672.41, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 192.51 points (0.84 per cent) to 22,708.08. Additionally, the UN Security Council approved a US-backed resolution supporting President Donald Trump’s proposal for ending the Gaza conflict and deploying an international stabilisation force.

The dollar strengthened, pushing the yen to a nine-month low. The dollar index rose 0.2 per cent to 99.545. Gold continued its downward trend for the fourth straight session due to a stronger dollar and reduced expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut. Spot gold fell 0.1 per cent to USD 4,038.43 per ounce, while US gold futures dropped 0.9 per cent to USD 4,037.50 per ounce. Crude oil prices remained stable, with Brent crude down 0.37 per cent at USD 63.96 per barrel and WTI crude dipping 0.38 per cent to USD 59.68 per barrel.

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