Nifty and Sensex Fall for Third Day; IT Stocks Slide While Auto Sector Rises

Market Update at 4:10 PM: On Tuesday, September 23, 2025, Indian equity benchmark indices closed in red, extending losses for the third straight session. The Nifty 50 ended down by 32.85 points, or 0.13 per cent, at 25,169.50, while the Sensex dropped 57.87 points, or 0.07 per cent, to 82,102.10. The decline was partly triggered by the impact of steep H-1B visa fees in the US.

Indian IT stocks extended their losses on Tuesday, with the Nifty IT index slipping 0.71 per cent following a 2.95 per cent fall in the previous session. Over two days, the sector fell a total of 3.63 per cent after US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a USD 1,00,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications. Stocks heavily reliant on US revenue were affected, with Mphasis down 3.01 per cent and Coforge falling 2.85 per cent, while TCS, Infosys, and Wipro declined up to 0.5 per cent. Year-to-date, the Nifty IT index is the worst-performing sector of 2025, down 18.58 per cent compared to a 6.48 per cent gain in the Nifty 50.

In contrast, auto stocks rose 0.62 per cent, hitting record highs amid increased footfalls at dealerships on Monday, the first day of the local festival Navratri. The rise coincided with Goods and Services Tax (GST) cuts taking effect from the previous session.

The Indian rupee fell to an all-time low, with pressure mounting after the US raised visa fees, worsening the currency’s outlook. On the sectoral front, five of the 11 key sectoral indices ended in positive territory, while broader indices like Nifty Midcap 100 and Smallcap 100 closed in the red.

Among individual stocks, Maruti Suzuki India surged 1.78 per cent to a lifetime high. KEC International jumped 2.05 per cent after securing orders worth Rs 3,243 crore in its international transmission and distribution business. The Nifty PSU Bank index emerged as the top-gaining sector, rising 1.09 per cent, with seven out of 12 constituent banks in positive territory. On the other hand, the Nifty FMCG index declined 1.29 per cent to a two-month low.

In terms of Nifty 50 contributors, Axis Bank added 16.17 points, State Bank of India gained 12.17 points, and Bajaj Finance rose 11.38 points. HDFC Bank, Bharti Airtel, and Hindustan Unilever weighed on the index, losing 19.35 points, 10.04 points, and 9.26 points respectively.

Broader markets ended in the red, with the Midcap 100 down 0.35 per cent and the Smallcap 100 falling 0.53 per cent. Market breadth favoured declining stocks, as 1,734 of the 3,136 stocks traded on the NSE fell, 1,329 advanced, and 93 remained unchanged. A total of 107 stocks touched their 52-week highs, while 44 hit their 52-week lows. Additionally, 95 stocks were locked in upper circuits, whereas 62 stocks were in lower circuits.

Market Update at 12:30 PM: At 12 PM, the Indian equity markets were trading lower with the BSE Sensex at 81,875.6, down 284.37 points or 0.35 per cent. The NSE Nifty50 was at 25,114.3, losing 88.05 points or 0.35 per cent.

Auto stocks provided support to the indices. On the BSE, Maruti and Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) were among the Top Gainers, while Adani Ports and Sun Pharma dragged the index lower. Similarly, on the NSE, Maruti, M&M and Eicher Motors advanced, whereas UltraTech Cement and Adani Ports were among the major losers.

In the broader markets, selling pressure continued as the Nifty Small-Cap 100 and the BSE Small-Cap 100 slipped 0.68 per cent and 0.76 per cent, respectively.

On the sectoral front, Nifty FMCG and Nifty Realty fell over 1 per cent each, while Nifty Auto gained 0.77 per cent, emerging as the leading sectoral performer.

Market Update at 10:00 AM: India’s equity benchmarks opened little changed on Tuesday, as a rise in auto stocks on strong festive-season demand offset broad-based losses amid concerns over the U.S. H-1B visa fee hike.

The Nifty 50 gained 0.02 per cent to 25,206.8, while the BSE Sensex added 0.05 per cent to 82,203.38, as of 9:26 a.m. IST.

Eleven of the 16 major sectors recorded losses. Broader indices, including small-caps and Mid-Caps, traded flat, indicating cautious investor sentiment.

The auto index rose 1.8 per cent, leading sectoral gains. Automotive dealerships across the country witnessed a surge in footfalls on the first day of the Navratri festival, as customers rushed to purchase vehicles at lower prices, according to the president of an auto dealers’ body.

Pre-Market Update at 7:30 AM: On Tuesday, September 23, Indian equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty 50 are set to open on a cautious note due to persisting concerns over US tariffs and new visa policies. At 7:11 AM, the GIFT Nifty was trading near 25,263, down by 25 points.

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly (UNGA). Rubio reaffirmed Washington’s partnership with New Delhi, stressing continued cooperation to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region, including through the Quad.

India’s eight core infrastructure industries recorded a 13-month peak growth of 6.3 per cent in August 2025, compared with 3.7 per cent in July. In August 2024, output had contracted by 1.5 per cent.

On Monday, September 22, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers, offloading equities worth Rs 2,910.09 crore. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) were net buyers, purchasing shares worth Rs 2,582.63 crore. DIIs have been buyers for 20 consecutive trading sessions.

Indian markets extended losses on Monday, pressured by weakness in IT counters following US President Donald Trump’s decision to raise H-1B visa fees to USD 100,000 per worker. Heavy selling in Reliance Industries also added to the decline. The Sensex fell 466.26 points, or 0.56 per cent, to close at 82,159.97 after hitting an intraday low of 81,997.29.

Wall Street ended higher on Monday, with all three major indices closing at record highs for the third straight session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 66.27 points, or 0.14 per cent, to 46,381.54. The S&P 500 rose 29.39 points, or 0.44 per cent, to 6,693.75, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 157.50 points, or 0.70 per cent, to 22,788.98. Federal Reserve officials indicated caution over the need for additional rate cuts, a week after the Fed reduced interest rates for the first time since December and signalled further cuts ahead.

Gold held steady in early Asian trade, supported by expectations of more US Fed rate cuts. Spot gold was flat at USD 3,747.22 per ounce. On Monday, MCX gold futures gained 2.17 per cent to close at a record Rs 1,12,295 per 10 grams.

WTI crude oil futures traded at USD 62.2 per barrel, while Brent crude stood at USD 66.5 per barrel. Prices steadied after a four-session decline as markets balanced concerns over supply glut with risks linked to Russian oil.

For today, Sammaan Capital, Angel One and HFCL will remain on the F&O ban list.

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