Why Did the Stock Market Close Lower Today?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- IT stocks underperformed due to fee hikes and global cues.
- Profit booking is prevalent post-GST reforms.
- FIIs are trimming positions due to high valuations.
- Structural reforms continue to support the market’s long-term outlook.
- Broader indices also experienced declines.
Mumbai, Sep 24 (NationPress) The Indian equity markets concluded the trading session on a downturn this Wednesday, extending the week’s declining trend due to ongoing sell-offs in IT stocks and profit-taking in the automobile, banking, and financial services sectors.
The Sensex closed at 81,715.63, reflecting a drop of 386.47 points or 0.47 percent. The 30-share index began slightly lower at 81,917.56 compared to the previous session’s close of 82,102.10. It further declined amid selling pressure across key sectors, reaching an intra-day low of 81,607.84.
The Nifty index wrapped up at 25,056.90, down 112.60 points or 0.45 percent.
“Profit booking is evident in the Indian markets following GST reforms, as investors reassess valuations and expectations for Q2 earnings. IT stocks lagged due to increased H-1B fees, while the ongoing trade discussions and weak global signals are fostering cautious investor sentiment,” analysts noted.
India’s relatively high valuations, paired with a slowdown in earnings growth, have prompted foreign institutional investors (FIIs) to reduce their holdings. However, they emphasized that structural reforms and domestic growth catalysts are maintaining a constructive underlying trend.
Among the Sensex constituents, Tata Motors, BEL, Ultratech Cement, Tech Mahindra, Mahindra and Mahindra, TCS, Axis Bank, Titan, Kotak Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Bajaj FinServ, and Eternal concluded lower. Conversely, PowerGrid, Hindustan Unilever, NTPC, HCL Tech, Maruti, L&T, and Asian Paint finished in positive territory.
A majority of sectoral indices ended in the red amid ongoing selling pressure. The Nifty Auto index fell by 314 points or 1.15 percent, while Nifty IT decreased by 254 points or 0.72 percent. The Nifty Bank index dropped by 388 points or 0.70 percent, and the Nifty Fin Services index closed 171 points or 0.64 percent lower.
The broader indices mirrored this trend. The Nifty Next 50 fell by 835 points or 1.20 percent, the Nifty 100 declined by 149 points or 0.58 percent, the Nifty Midcap 100 closed 572 points or 0.98 percent lower, and the Nifty Small Cap 100 dropped by 122 points or 0.67 percent.