Indian shares finished the session in negative territory on Wednesday, with selling pressure concentrated in the Auto, Banking and Real Estate sectors pushing benchmark indexes lower.
At the close on the National Stock Exchange, the Nifty 50 retreated 1.63% to register a new six-month low. The BSE Sensex declined 1.72% over the same period.
On the Nifty 50, Jio Financial Services Ltd (NSE:JIOF) was the top gainer of the day, rising 1.06% or 2.50 points to end at 238.50. Coal India Ltd (NSE:COAL) added 0.76% or 3.35 points to finish at 446.90, while Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NSE:SUN) gained 0.62% or 11.20 points to close at 1,824.00.
The heaviest losses on the Nifty were concentrated among financials and lenders. Bajaj Finance Ltd (NSE:BJFN) dropped 5.16% or 48.45 points to close at 891.35. Axis Bank Ltd (NSE:AXBK) fell 4.62% or 60.70 points to finish at 1,254.00, and Bajaj Finserv Ltd (NSE:BJFS) declined 3.81% or 71.20 points to end at 1,796.60.
On the BSE Sensex 30, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (BO:SUN) was among the modest gainers, up 0.41% to 1,820.50. NTPC Ltd (BO:NTPC) rose 0.32% to close at 378.50, while Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (BO:PGRD) lost 0.08% to finish at 298.20.
The weakest performers on the Sensex mirrored the Nifty's declines: Bajaj Finance Ltd (BO:BJFN) fell 5.14% to 891.95, Axis Bank Ltd. (BO:AXBK) slipped 4.64% to close at 1,254.00, and Bajaj Finserv Ltd (BO:BJFS) declined 3.78% to 1,797.40 at the close.
Market breadth signaled broad-based selling. On the NSE, falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones by 1,484 to 1,025, with 49 issues unchanged. On the BSE, 2,211 stocks declined, 1,800 advanced and 137 finished unchanged.
Bajaj Finserv Ltd registered 52-week lows in both listings during the session. On the NSE, shares of Bajaj Finserv Ltd (NSE:BJFS) lost 3.81% or 71.20 to close at 1,796.60. On the BO exchange, Bajaj Finserv Ltd (BO:BJFS) fell 3.78% or 70.55 to end at 1,797.40.
Volatility, as measured by the India VIX for Nifty 50 options, increased 12.17% to 21.20.
In commodities, Gold Futures for April delivery eased 0.83% or 43.69 to $5,198.41 a troy ounce. Energy contracts moved higher - crude oil for April delivery gained 4.07% or 3.40 to $86.85 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract advanced 3.83% or 3.36 to trade at $91.16 a barrel.
In the currency market, the USD/INR pair rose 0.20% to 92.13, and EUR/INR edged down 0.01% to 106.77. The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.16% at 98.96.
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