Why Did Sensex and Nifty Close Lower Due to IT Stock Sell-Off?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Mumbai, Feb 12 (NationPress) The Indian stock market closed on a negative note on Thursday, primarily driven down by significant sell-offs in key IT stocks. Investor sentiment in the technology sector was notably weak, overshadowing some gains in select banking and finance stocks.
The Sensex ended the day at 83,674.92, marking a decline of 558.72 points, equivalent to 0.66 percent. In comparison, the Nifty settled at 25,807.2, down by 146.65 points or 0.57 percent from the previous trading session.
According to analysts, "As long as the Nifty remains below the 25,840–25,900 resistance range and continues within its downward trend, the short-term outlook remains pessimistic, with immediate downside risks targeting 25,750 and potentially extending to 25,700."
“A decisive move above 25,950 would be required to shift the current bearish sentiment,” the analyst added.
Among the sectors, IT stocks were the primary drag on the market, with shares of Tech Mahindra, Infosys, TCS, and HCL Tech experiencing substantial selling pressure, making them some of the top losers on the BSE.
Automobile giant Mahindra & Mahindra also faced losses during the session. However, a few stocks managed to perform well despite the overall weak market atmosphere.
Bajaj Finance, ICICI Bank, Bharat Electronics (BEL), and Trent emerged as the top gainers, providing some support to the indices.
In sectoral performance, the Nifty IT index suffered the most, plummeting by 5.51 percent as investors aggressively sold off technology shares.
Real estate stocks also faced challenges, with the Nifty Realty index declining by 1.45 percent.
The Nifty Oil & Gas index fell by 1.19 percent, while financial stocks showed resilience, with the Nifty Financial Services index rising by 0.38 percent.
The broader market followed the weak trend, with the Nifty MidCap index closing 0.47 percent lower and the Nifty SmallCap index down by 0.64 percent.
Analysts indicated that the steep declines in heavyweight IT stocks and the weakness in broader market sectors contributed to a cautious approach among investors, resulting in a negative close for Indian equity markets.