Indian equity benchmarks extended their losing streak on Thursday, with the sell-off largely driven by external headwinds as bond yields climbed to multi-year highs and crude oil prices remained elevated, stoking concerns over the economic outlook for 2026–27.
The Nifty 50 fell 198.50 points, or 0.88%, to close at 22,421.95, while the BSE Sensex declined 570.59 points, or 0.79%, to settle at 71,909.70.
The weakness was broad-based, with the sell-off spilling into the broader market. The Nifty Smallcap 100 index dropped 0.97%, while the Nifty Midcap 100 declined 1.01%.
Market volatility also picked up, with the India VIX, a gauge of expected market volatility, rising 7.04% to 14.44.
Sectoral indices were firmly in the red. The Nifty Auto index led the decline, falling more than 3%, while the Nifty Metal, Nifty FMCG and Nifty Consumer Durables indices shed around 2% each.
Market breadth remained decisively weak. Of the 3,707 stocks traded on the NSE, 2,574 ended lower, while 1,023 advanced and 110 remained unchanged.
The total market capitalisation of companies listed on the NSE stood at Rs 467.54 lakh crore, equivalent to roughly $4.87 trillion.
