Equity markets remained under pressure during Monday’s mid-day trading, with the benchmark indices continuing their downward trajectory amid persistent foreign investor outflows and global trade concerns. The BSE Sensex traded at 75,665.27, down 273.94 points or 0.36 per cent from its previous close, while the Nifty50 declined 79.60 points or 0.35 per cent to 22,849.65.
Market breadth remained significantly negative, with 3,002 stocks declining against 946 advances on the BSE. A concerning 849 stocks hit their 52-week lows, while only 54 touched their 52-week highs, indicating broad-based selling pressure. The number of stocks hitting lower circuit limits stood at 498, substantially higher than the 153 stocks that reached upper circuits.
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Mahindra & Mahindra emerged as the biggest laggard among blue-chips, falling 4.32 per cent despite recent strong EV bookings. Other major decliners included Bharat Electronics Limited, dropping 1.78 per cent, followed by Axis Bank and ICICI Bank, which fell 1.73 per cent and 1.67 per cent respectively. IT major Wipro also witnessed selling pressure, declining 1.66 per cent.
However, some stocks bucked the negative trend. Bajaj Finserv led the gainers, rising 2.02 per cent, while IndusInd Bank advanced 1.64 per cent. Adani Enterprises continued its recovery, climbing 1.38 per cent, accompanied by Power Grid Corporation and Shriram Finance, which gained 1.24 per cent and 1.02 per cent respectively.
Broader market indices showed deeper weakness, with the Nifty Next 50 falling 0.83 per cent to 59,061.15. The banking sector remained under pressure as the Nifty Bank index declined 0.53 per cent to 48,837.50, while the Nifty Financial Services index dropped 0.39 per cent to 23,095.70.
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) have withdrawn ₹116,556 crore in 2025 so far, continuing to exert pressure on domestic equities. With U.S. markets closed for Presidents’ Day, traders are focusing on upcoming Federal Reserve minutes and global PMI data for further direction.
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The market’s performance reflects ongoing concerns about global trade policies and sustained FII selling, even as some analysts suggest that strong corporate earnings and a potential weakening in the U.S. dollar could help stabilize markets in the coming sessions.