Sensex and Nifty 50 Fall as Midcaps and Smallcaps Take a Hit; Investors Lose ₹4 Lakh Crore.

The Indian stock market ended Thursday, November 6, under selling pressure as frontline indices and broader markets faced declines. Both the Sensex and Nifty 50 ended the day lower, while midcap and smallcap stocks suffered sharper losses, highlighting investor caution amid global and domestic uncertainties.

Market Performance: Sensex and Nifty 50 Close in the Red

• Sensex dropped 148 points (0.18%) to close at 83,311.
• Nifty 50 fell 88 points (0.34%) to end at 25,509.70.
• BSE Midcap index slipped 1.19%, while BSE Smallcap index tumbled 1.53%.
• Overall market capitalization of BSE-listed firms dipped below ₹466 lakh crore, down from nearly ₹470 lakh crore, wiping out roughly ₹4 lakh crore in a single session.

The broad-based sell-off was led by second-rung midcap and smallcap stocks, reflecting cautious sentiment among domestic investors amid continued foreign capital outflows and mixed Q2 earnings.

Key Drivers Behind Market Decline

The market witnessed profit booking and sectoral pressure, with several factors weighing on sentiment:

• Foreign capital outflow continued, increasing selling pressure.
• Lack of fresh domestic triggers kept investors cautious.
• Mixed Q2 earnings results across sectors added to uncertainty.
• Global cues like US tariff concerns and softening PMI readings also influenced market sentiment.

Volatility dominated trading, with early optimism from Asian markets and strong US macro data offset by weak domestic indicators.

Top Gainers in the Market

Despite overall weakness, a few Nifty 50 stocks managed to register gains:

• Asian Paints surged 4.64%, supported by steady performance.
• Reliance Industries rose 1.47%.
• UltraTech Cement edged up 1.04%.

Sectorally, Nifty IT and Nifty Auto indices closed marginally higher, while gains remained modest.

Top Losers in the Market

Selling pressure was concentrated in several key sectors:

• Grasim Industries fell 6.42%.
• Hindalco Industries dropped 5.39%.
• Adani Enterprises declined 4.50%.

Other sectors, including Media, Metal, Consumer Durables, and Realty, also recorded sharp declines.

Active Stocks and Volatility

• Most traded stocks by volume: Vodafone Idea (73.14 crore shares), Suzlon Energy (14.72 crore shares), Easy Trip Planners (11.92 crore shares).
• Intraday highs and lows: Over 124 stocks hit 52-week highs, including SBI, Titan, BPCL, and AU Small Finance Bank. Meanwhile, 173 stocks touched 52-week lows, including Deepak Nitrite, Clean Science & Technology, Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals, and Tejas Networks.

The advance-decline ratio indicated bearish breadth: out of 4,353 BSE-listed stocks, 1,202 advanced, 3,012 declined, and 139 remained unchanged.

Summary

Thursday’s trading session underlined risk-off sentiment in the Indian stock market, with midcap and smallcap indices bleeding more than the large-cap indices. Market participants reacted cautiously to profit booking, ongoing FII outflows, and mixed corporate results. While some blue-chip stocks like Asian Paints and Reliance Industries saw gains, the broader market faced selling pressure, signaling that investors remain selective amid volatility.