Sensex and Nifty Slump: Market Volatility Amid Global Influences

Equity benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, recorded a sharp decline during the mid-session on Thursday. This downturn was driven by broad-based profit-booking in sectors such as realty, power, and auto, as well as increasing crude oil prices globally.

The 30-share BSE Sensex dropped by 869.96 points, equal to 1.03%, landing at 82,864.29, while the broader NSE Nifty fell by 251.6 points, or 0.97%, reaching 25,567.75. Most notably affected were companies like Trent, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Reliance Industries, whereas Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services were the day's few gainers.

Among sectoral indices, Realty experienced the sharpest decline at 1.81%, followed by Power at 1.30%. The volatility in crude oil prices, amid geopolitical tensions and factors affecting foreign institutional investors during the Lunar New Year holidays, added to market instability, according to market analyst Vinod Nair of Geojit Investments Ltd.