The Indian stock market experienced a volatile session on Wednesday, with both the Sensex and Nifty closing marginally lower. The rupee also hit a fresh all-time low against the US dollar, driven by elevated crude oil prices and foreign fund outflows.
The BSE Sensex closed at 78,148.49, down 50.62 points, while the NSE Nifty 50 declined 18.95 points to end at 23,688.95. Oil & Gas stocks were among the top gainers, with ONGC surging 3.04% after selecting a BP Plc subsidiary for technical services. However, Apollo Hospitals witnessed the steepest decline, falling 4.06%.
The broader markets underperformed, with the BSE Mid-Cap and Small-Cap indices dropping 1.20% and 1.71% respectively. The market sentiment was subdued due to slowing economic growth projections and caution ahead of Q3 results. Foreign institutional investors remained net sellers, offloading ₹1,491.46 crore worth of Indian equities.
Despite the volatility, some stocks like Route Mobile gained 3% after partnering with Jakarta’s urban rail transit provider to launch a WhatsApp-based metro ticketing solution. Traders were advised to remain cautious and implement strict stop-loss measures to protect capital in the current market environment.
In conclusion, the Indian stock market continues to face challenges from various economic factors, and investors need to stay informed and vigilant in order to navigate these uncertain times effectively.