Indian equity markets ended Monday’s trading session sharply lower, with bears firmly in control as the benchmarks breached key psychological support levels, reflecting growing investor caution amid deteriorating global macroeconomic conditions.
The Nifty 50 fell 360.25 points, or 1.56%, to close at 22,780.25, while the BSE Sensex plunged 1,124.02 points, or 1.52%, to end the session at 72,771.72.
The sell-off extended to the broader markets, with the Nifty Smallcap 100 declining 1.85% and the Nifty Midcap 100 falling 1.63%.
The fear index, India VIX, which gauges market volatility, surged 12.54% to settle at 13.69 points, indicating heightened nervousness among investors.
All sectoral indices closed in the red. The Nifty PSU Bank index crashed more than 3%, while the Nifty Realty index tumbled over 2%. Nifty Auto, Nifty Financial Services, Nifty FMCG, Nifty Metal, Nifty Private Bank and Nifty Realty declined between 1% and 2% each.
Market breadth remained firmly in favour of the bears, with 2,716 of the 3,676 stocks traded on the NSE ending in the red. A total of 869 stocks closed in the green, while 91 stocks remained unchanged on Monday.
