Why Did Hindustan Zinc Shares Plunge Over 6%?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Mumbai, Jan 8 (NationPress) Hindustan Zinc shares experienced significant selling pressure on Thursday, as the stock dropped over 6 percent to Rs 588.35 on the NSE.
This represents its most substantial single-day decline in the past six months. The abrupt decrease was primarily attributed to a sudden drop in silver prices, which negatively affected investor sentiment throughout the metal sector following a robust rally last year.
The sell-off impacted not just Hindustan Zinc, as the entire metal sector traded lower during the session.
The Nifty Metal index fell approximately 3.5 percent, with Hindustan Zinc being the largest underperformer among its counterparts.
The stock opened at Rs 623 and continued its downward trend throughout the day, reaching its lowest point since June 18.
Following Thursday’s decline, Hindustan Zinc has now seen a decrease of around 8.5 percent in just two trading sessions.
This drop has also erased its early gains for 2026, with the stock down nearly 3.4 percent this month.
The downturn in silver prices is a significant concern for the company, as silver is crucial to its earnings.
In the first half of FY26, silver accounted for about 41 percent of Hindustan Zinc’s earnings before interest and taxes, compared to around 28 percent in FY23.
A persistent decline in silver prices may directly affect the company’s operational performance.
After propelling Hindustan Zinc shares to a remarkable 38 percent rally in 2025, silver prices have recently experienced a sharp decline due to profit-taking.
Investors are also exercising caution ahead of crucial US economic data that could sway the interest rate outlook of the US Federal Reserve.
On the domestic front, silver futures for March delivery on MCX fell by another Rs 10,000 per kilogram on Thursday, hitting an intra-day low of Rs 240,605.
This follows a 3.17 percent drop in the previous session, bringing the total two-day loss to over Rs 18,000 per kilogram.