The Indian stock market opened sharply lower on Monday, mirroring weakness in global equities and cautious investor sentiment. By 9:18 AM, the BSE Sensex had declined 676.86 points or 0.83%, to 80,774.15, while the NSE Nifty 50 slipped 181.15 points or 0.74%, to 24,568.25.
Broader markets also reflected negative momentum. The Nifty Midcap 100 was down 104 points or 0.18%, at 57,315, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 dropped 69 points or 0.39%, to 17,813, indicating profit-booking in smaller counters.
Top Gainers and Losers
Among the major Sensex constituents, HUL, Adani Ports, IndusInd Bank, Nestle, SBI, Zomato (Eternal), Asian Paints, and Power Grid emerged as top gainers. On the flip side, heavyweights such as HDFC Bank, HCL Technologies, Reliance Industries, Bajaj Finance, Infosys, Tata Steel, and Tech Mahindra led the losers’ list, dragging the indices lower.
Sectoral Performance
On the sectoral front, pressure was visible in IT, financial services, metals, media, commodities, and services sectors. Meanwhile, FMCG, PSU banks, realty, and energy stocks bucked the trend and traded in positive territory.
Expert Commentary and Economic Context
According to V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, the market continues to exhibit signs of short-term consolidation, despite a bullish long-term outlook.
“Global cues remain uncertain with renewed fears of a trade war. Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed 50% tariffs on steel and aluminium send a clear signal that global trade tensions may escalate,” Vijayakumar said. “However, domestic fundamentals remain strong, with India’s Q4 GDP growth at 7.4%, well above expectations.”
Analysts further noted that robust consumption and capital expenditure trends, combined with low inflation and a supportive monetary policy stance, could fuel sustained economic growth in FY26.
Global Market Overview
Across Asia, most major indices traded in the red. Tokyo, Hong Kong, Jakarta, and Seoul posted losses, while Shanghai remained closed for a public holiday. In the U.S., Friday’s session ended mixed — the Dow Jones gained 0.31%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq dipped 0.32%, reflecting uncertainty in global markets.
