7 of top-10 firms shed ₹1.13 lakh crore in market cap last week
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Seven of India's 10 most-valued companies collectively shed approximately ₹1.13 lakh crore in market capitalisation during the week ended 30 August, as a sluggish broader equity market weighed on blue-chip valuations. Bharti Airtel and Reliance Industries led the losses among the top-tier names.
Market Backdrop
The BSE Sensex declined 276.32 points, or 0.35%, over the week, while the Nifty50 slipped 76.35 points, or 0.31%. Analysts noted that a sustained breakout above 78,000 would be needed to reinforce recovery momentum and open the path toward 78,500–78,800.
On the downside, market watchers flagged 77,000 as the key psychological support level. 'On the downside, 77,000 remains the crucial psychological support, followed by the 76,700–76,500 region. Holding above 77,000 will be important to preserve the broader recovery structure, while a decisive break below this level could invite renewed selling pressure,' an analyst said.
Biggest Losers Among Top-10 Firms
Bharti Airtel suffered the steepest erosion, with its market valuation falling ₹40,500.85 crore to ₹11,74,462.30 crore. Reliance Industries was close behind, losing ₹40,056.32 crore to close the week at ₹17,38,119.27 crore.
HDFC Bank shed ₹11,558.35 crore, ending at ₹11,09,600.70 crore, while Bajaj Finance lost ₹10,086.05 crore to close at ₹6,70,535.57 crore. Larsen & Toubro declined ₹6,473.45 crore to ₹5,55,987.49 crore, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) fell ₹3,162.50 crore to ₹5,32,817.81 crore, and Hindustan Unilever slipped ₹1,550.73 crore to ₹4,72,361.83 crore.
Three Companies Buck the Trend
Not all top-10 firms were in the red. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) was the standout gainer, adding ₹16,643.20 crore to reach a market cap of ₹8,48,079.71 crore. ICICI Bank added ₹4,475.28 crore to close at ₹10,22,805.73 crore, and State Bank of India (SBI) edged up ₹599.99 crore to ₹9,65,568.75 crore.
Rankings Hold Despite Losses
Despite the weekly erosion, Reliance Industries retained its position as India's most-valued company by market capitalisation. Bharti Airtel ranked second, followed by HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI, TCS, Bajaj Finance, Larsen & Toubro, LIC, and Hindustan Unilever.
With key technical levels in focus heading into the next trading week, market participants will be watching whether the Sensex can hold above the 77,000 mark to sustain any recovery attempt.