Today, the Indian stock market witnessed a stark decline, affecting the Sensex and Nifty indices. The Sensex plummeted nearly 500 points in the early trading hours, while the Nifty index dipped below the crucial 19,400 mark. This market behavior is attributed to weak global cues and a significant offloading of shares by Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs). The market’s negative sentiment was further fueled by global concerns regarding higher interest rates in the US, which made a notable impact on the opening numbers with the S&P BSE Sensex dropping to 65,444.96, and the NSE Nifty 50 falling to 19,514.15.
Around mid-morning, the 30-share index was trading lower at 65,512.48, with the Nifty down at 19,563.30, reflecting the continuing bearish trend,The domestic markets mirrored the lackluster performance of Asian stock markets, with the key concern being the uncertainty surrounding US interest rates. The potential of higher interest rates in the US caused a ripple effect, leading to an overnight fall in major US stock market indices. This global financial unrest was exacerbated by the release of new economic data, stirring speculations about the Federal Reserve’s stance on interest rates.
Adding to the market’s woes was the substantial selling activity by FIIs, contributing to the negative sentiment on Dalal Street. According to provisional data from the National Stock Exchange (NSE), FIIs sold shares worth Rs 2,034.14 crore, instilling fear and uncertainty among investors. This bearish trend was also influenced by weakness in heavyweight sectoral indices like Nifty Bank, Nifty Financial Services, and Nifty IT, with Nifty Auto suffering the most, plummeting by over 1.4%. The upcoming policy review decision by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on October 6 adds to the nervousness among investors, as it’s anticipated that the RBI will likely maintain its key interest rates unchanged but uphold a hawkish stance. Amid these uncertainties and significant foreign selling, market experts advise investors to exercise caution and adopt a more selective, stock-specific approach to their investments.