Indian Benchmark indices plunged on Friday as banking, metal and infrastructure stocks dragged markets sharply lower, with only a handful of stocks managing gains
Indian benchmark indices ended sharply lower on Friday as heavy selling across sectors dragged equities down, with the BSE Sensex plunging nearly 1,500 points and the Nifty 50 falling more than 2 percent.
The Sensex closed at 74,563.92, down 1,470.50 points or 1.93 percent, after hitting an intraday low of 74,454.60. The index had opened at 75,444.22 and briefly touched a high of 75,576.20 during the session before selling pressure intensified.
Meanwhile, the Nifty 50 ended at 23,151.10, down 488.05 points or 2.06 percent. Market breadth remained decisively negative, with 47 stocks declining and only three advancing on the index.
Broad-based selling across sectors
Selling pressure was widespread, particularly in banking, metals, infrastructure and auto stocks.
Among the biggest laggards on the Sensex pack were Larsen & Toubro, which dropped more than 7 percent, and metal major Tata Steel, which fell over 5 percent.
Banking stocks also came under pressure, with State Bank of India declining about 3.7 percent, while Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank slipped around 2–3 percent.
Auto majors Maruti Suzuki India and Mahindra & Mahindra each dropped more than 3 percent, adding to the broader market weakness.
Technology stocks were also in the red, with Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, and HCLTech slipping between 1 percent and 2 percent.
Defensive stocks offer limited support
Only a handful of stocks managed to hold gains during the session.
Consumer goods giant Hindustan Unilever rose over 1 percent, while telecom major Bharti Airtel edged slightly higher. Shares of ITC Limited and Reliance Industries declined marginally but helped limit the broader index fall to some extent.
Market breadth sharply negative
The market downturn was reflected in the overall breadth on the Nifty, where only three stocks advanced against 47 declines. Among the few gainers were Tata Consumer Products, Hindustan Unilever, and Bharti Airtel.
Metals and infrastructure companies were among the worst hit during the session, with Hindalco Industries and JSW Steel also posting steep losses.
Nifty under pressure in recent weeks
The sharp fall adds to recent weakness in equities. The Nifty has fallen over 5 percent in the past week, more than 9 percent in the past month, and over 11 percent so far in 2026, reflecting sustained selling pressure in the market.
Despite the recent correction, the index remains slightly higher on a one-year basis, up about 3.37 percent, according to exchange data.
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