Markets Close Lower in Choppy Trade, Sensex Falls 114 Points Amid FII Selling

Indian equity markets ended a highly volatile and choppy session on Thursday with benchmark indices closing lower, as investors turned cautious amid persistent foreign fund outflows and ongoing global geopolitical uncertainties.

The Sensex ended the day at 77,844.52 , down 114 points or 0.15 percent , after witnessing sharp intraday swings of over 670 points. The index touched a high of 78,384.70 and a low of 77,713.21 before settling in negative territory.

The Nifty 50 closed almost flat at 24,326.65 , slipping just 4.30 points or 0.02 percent , reflecting a lack of strong directional momentum in the market.

Investor sentiment remained under pressure due to continued selling by foreign institutional investors (FIIs) . Data showed FIIs offloaded equities worth ₹5,834.90 crore on Wednesday, adding to the cautious mood on Dalal Street.

Among Sensex constituents, heavyweight stocks such as Hindustan Unilever, Tata Consultancy Services, Tech Mahindra, Titan, Sun Pharma, and ITC were the major draggers on the indices. However, selective buying in Mahindra & Mahindra, NTPC, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Tata Steel helped cushion deeper losses.

Global cues remained mixed. Brent crude oil fell by 2.23 percent to around USD 99 per barrel , offering some relief on the commodity front. Asian markets mostly traded higher, while European markets remained weak . US equities had closed higher in the previous session, adding to mixed global signals.

Market experts noted that investors remained in a wait and watch mode amid geopolitical tensions , particularly ahead of developments related to Iran’s response to the US peace proposal, which continued to influence global risk appetite.

“Indian markets traded largely flat as investors awaited clarity on global geopolitical developments. Continued FII outflows and subdued global cues weighed on sentiment,” said Gaurav Garg, Research Analyst at Lemonn Markets Desk .

Despite Thursday’s decline, the market had seen a strong rally in the previous session, highlighting ongoing volatility and lack of clear near term direction in equities.