Sensex, Nifty fall for 4th day on selling in IT shares, foreign fund outflows
Mumbai, Jul 14 (PTI): Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty declined on Monday, extending the losing run to the fourth day amid selling in IT shares and foreign fund outflows.
The 30-share BSE Sensex dropped by 247.01 points or 0.30 per cent to settle at 82,253.46. During the day, it fell 490.09 points or 0.59 per cent to 82,010.38 but recovered some of the losses towards the close.
The 50-share NSE Nifty settled lower by 67.55 points or 0.27 per cent to 25,082.30.
Sensex has dropped nearly 1,460 points or 1.75 per cent and Nifty by 440 points or 1.73 per cent in the four days of fall since July 9.
Among Sensex firms, Asian Paints fell the most by 1.58 per cent. Tech Mahindra, Bajaj Finance, Infosys, HCL Tech, Tata Consultancy Services, Larsen & Toubro and Tata Motors were among the laggards.
However, Eternal, Titan, Mahindra & Mahindra and ITC were among the gainers.
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 5,104.22 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.
The broader indices, however, outperformed the benchmark, with midcap and smallcap indices gaining between 0.71 per cent and 1.04 per cent.
"Consolidation continued in the domestic market as the tariff headlines and a subdued start to the earnings season are influencing investors to be more sensitive with valuation trading at 3 yrs high level,” Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments, said.
However, stock-specific action continues with sector-wise pick-up in healthcare, realty, consumer & discretionary, while IT remains the laggard due to the risk of earnings downgrades in FY26, Nair added.
An Indian commerce ministry team has reached Washington for another round of talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA), which will begin on Monday, an official said.
"Markets started the week on a volatile note and extended their recent decline, ending nearly half a per cent lower. After an initial dip, the Nifty attempted to stabilize in early trade, but sustained pressure from heavyweight stocks dragged the index down as the session progressed," Ajit Mishra – SVP, Research, Religare Broking Ltd, said.
The BSE midcap gauge climbed 0.67 per cent and smallcap index edged higher by 0.57 per cent.
BSE Focused IT dropped 1.07 per cent, IT by 0.99 per cent, teck by 0.79 per cent and industrials by 0.24 per cent.
Realty surged 1.38 per cent, healthcare jumped 1.15 per cent, consumer discretionary (0.54 per cent), commodities (0.24 per cent) and power (0.24 per cent).
As many as 2,137 stocks declined while 2,054 advanced and 149 remained unchanged on the BSE.
In Asian markets, South Korea's Kospi, Shanghai's SSE Composite index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng settled in the positive territory while Japan's Nikkei 225 index ended lower.
European markets were trading in negative territory. The US markets ended lower on Friday.
Wholesale price inflation (WPI) turned negative after a gap of 19 months, declining 0.13 per cent in June as deflation widened in food articles and fuel, along with softening in manufactured product costs, government data showed on Monday.
Retail inflation slipped to a more than six-year low of 2.1 per cent in June mainly due to subdued prices of food items, including vegetables, pulses, meat, and milk.
Global oil benchmark Brent crude climbed 0.99 per cent to USD 71.06 a barrel.
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Pak, Afghan forces trade fire along Chaman border: Report
Islamabad (PTI): A heavy exchange of fire between Pakistani and Afghan forces was reported from the key Chaman border, according to a media report on Saturday.
Injuries were reported from the district hospital, but no fatalities occurred, the Dawn newspaper reported.
Officials from both sides accused each other of instigating the flare-up late on Friday night across the border in the Balochistan province.
While Pakistani officials said that Afghan forces had fired mortar shells on the Badani area, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed it was Pakistan that launched an attack on Spin Boldak, alleging that their forces were responding.
Pakistan's official sources told Dawn that Pakistani forces retaliated against the Afghan aggression and returned fire.
There were also reports of fighting on the Chaman-Kandahar highway, but these could not be immediately verified.
A senior official in Quetta confirmed on condition of anonymity that the exchange of fire started around 10 pm and continued until late at night.
The medical superintendent of Chaman district hospital said that three injured, including a woman, were brought to the medical facility.
There was neither any official word from the Inter-Services Public Relations -- Pakistan Army's media wing -- nor from the Foreign Office.
The Chaman border crossing, also known as Friendship Gate, connects Balochistan province to Afghanistan’s Kandahar.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated amidst regular allegations by Pakistan regarding the failure of the Afghan regime to deny safe havens to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan terrorists.
The two countries had agreed on a ceasefire following tensions last month, but the Foreign Office said last month that technically there was no truce as it was contingent on the Afghan Taliban stopping terrorist attacks in Pakistan, which they had failed to do.
