Nifty Faces Make-or-Break at 24,400; Weak August Close Signals Caution

The Indian equity markets ended August on a fragile note, with the Nifty Index logging its sixth consecutive session of weakness and slipping beneath its two-month low. The price action has nearly confirmed a bearish Harami candlestick pattern on the monthly chart, underlining the prevailing downside momentum and signaling that the index is at a make-or-break juncture.

Nifty: Hovering at Critical Support

On Friday, Nifty closed at 24,426.85, down 74.05 points, as persistent selling pressure outweighed every intraday rebound attempt.

• Technical Picture:
  
  
  • The index has slipped below multiple crucial supports, flipping them into fresh resistances.
    
    
  • Current support lies at 24,400–24,350, a demand zone coinciding with a previous swing low.
    
    
  • The index remains well below its 20-, 50-, and 100-day EMAs, which are now expected to act as stiff hurdles in any rebound.
    
    
• Momentum Indicators:
  
  
  • RSI is hovering just below 40, signaling a sideways-to-bearish undertone.
    
    
  • Oversold conditions on lower timeframes suggest the possibility of a short-lived pullback, though sustainability remains doubtful.
    
    
• Key Levels:
  
  
  • Resistance: 24,600–24,700 (flipped from support), followed by 24,800.
    
    
  • Support: 24,400–24,350 remains critical; a breach could accelerate downside momentum.
    
    

Derivatives Snapshot

The options market reflected heightened caution, with call writers aggressively rolling over bearish bets into the September series.

• Heavy Call Writing: 24,600 strike saw OI surge to 1.37 crore contracts, cementing it as a strong ceiling.
  
  
• Support Base: The 24,400 strike carried the second-highest put OI at 85.88 lakh contracts, though put writers shifting to lower strikes points to weak confidence in upside recovery.
  
  
• PCR Trend: The Put-Call Ratio (PCR) slipped sharply from 0.64 to 0.54, indicating strong supply pressure. However, with PCR now deeply oversold, a technical rebound cannot be ruled out.
  
  

Volatility Check

The India VIX eased by 3.49% to 11.75, reflecting calm volatility despite the selloff. The subdued VIX indicates that traders are bracing for consolidation rather than panic-driven selling, hinting at cautious optimism in the near term.

Market Outlook

Nifty’s weak August close, combined with its breakdown below multiple support zones, sets a cautious tone heading into September. The bearish Harami formation on the monthly chart, dominance of call writing at key strikes, and migration of put positions to lower levels all reinforce a bearish structure.

• Upside remains capped unless Nifty decisively clears 24,800.
  
  
• On the downside, holding 24,400 is critical to avoid a deeper slide toward 24,170 (38.2% Fibonacci retracement from April lows).
  
  
• Traders are advised to adopt a “sell-on-rise” strategy, as any oversold rebounds are likely to invite fresh shorting.
  
  

Bottom Line: August’s close signals that Nifty is at a decisive crossroads. Unless buyers step in with conviction above resistance zones, the risk of further downside remains firmly on the table.