The Sensex closed lower by 296.28 points, or 0.36%, settling at 81,185.58. Throughout the day, the index moved within a range of 81,803.27 to 80,695.15, illustrating the significant swings in sentiment.
Similarly, the Nifty50 ended at 24,768.35, marking a decline of 86.70 points or 0.35%. The Nifty fluctuated between 24,635 and 24,956.50 during the session.
The India VIX, a measure of market volatility, rose by 3.01%, indicating that investors are bracing for more unpredictability.
The volatility extended to broader market indices, with both the Nifty Smallcap100 and Nifty Midcap100 indices closing in the negative. The Smallcap100 index fell by 1.05%, while the Midcap100 was down by 0.93%.
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Impact on the Stock Market
Sectoral Indices Performance
The Nifty FMCG index defied the market trends and ended 1.44% higher, mainly due to strong performances from Emami and Hindustan Unilever. On the other hand, sectors like Nifty Pharma, Metal, Oil & Gas, and Healthcare faced significant losses, with declines of over 1% each.
| Sector/Index | Performance |
| IT & BPM sector | -0.51% |
| Healthcare sector | -1.07% |
| Oil & Gas sector | -1.07% |
| Real estate sector | -0.58% |
| PSU Bank in India | -0.82% |
Top gainers today
| Company | Price (in ₹) | Change % |
| HUL Share Price | 2,521.20 | 3.44 |
| Jio Financial Share Price | 329.25 | 2.79 |
| Eternal Share Price | 307.80 | 1.43 |
| ITC Share Price | 411.95 | 1.07 |
| JSW Steel Share Price | 1,048.30 | 1.00 |
Top losers today
| Company | Price (in ₹) | Change % |
| Adani Enterpris Share Price | 2,430.70 | -4.03 |
| Tata Steel Share Price | 157.94 | -2.12 |
| Dr Reddys Labs Share Price | 1,270.30 | -1.69 |
| Sun Pharma Share Price | 1,706.70 | -1.56 |
| Adani Ports Share Price | 1,373.10 | -1.50 |
Market Aftermath: Impact on Stocks
DCB Bank: Strong Profit Growth
DCB Bank reported a robust 20% year-on-year rise in its net profit for Q1 FY26, reaching ₹157 crore. The bank’s advances grew by 21%, while its deposit growth stood at 20%. The strong performance was driven by growth in the mortgages and co-lending segments, which saw impressive gains of 17% and 162%, respectively. The bank’s Gross NPA was at 2.98%, while the Net NPA stood at 1.22%. Despite the broader market sell-off, DCB Bank’s strong results helped maintain investor confidence, and its stock performance remained stable.
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Vedanta: Profit Decline Amid Lower Metal Prices
Vedanta reported a 12% decline in its Q1 FY26 net profit, which stood at ₹3,185 crore. This was largely due to a drop in aluminium and copper prices, which overshadowed the strong domestic demand. Despite the profit decline, Vedanta’s revenue from operations increased by 5.8%, reaching ₹37,824 crore, compared to ₹35,764 crore in the previous year.
The company also declared a ₹7 per share dividend, which could support investor sentiment in the short term. However, the falling prices of key metals such as aluminium and copper remain a concern for the company’s future performance, as global commodity prices continue to fluctuate.
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Ambuja Cements: Strong Earnings but Decline in Stock Price
Ambuja Cements posted a strong set of earnings for Q1 FY26, with a 23% increase in net profit to ₹788 crore. The company also saw a 23% growth in revenue, which reached ₹10,244 crore, compared to ₹8,292 crore in Q1 FY25. Ambuja Cements benefited from record-high quarterly sales of 18.4 million tonnes, marking a 20% rise from the same period last year.
However, despite the strong earnings report, Ambuja Cements’ stock declined by 2% on the day. The market reaction suggests that the broader market sentiment and concerns about global economic conditions may have overshadowed the company’s impressive performance in the cement sector.
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Crude Oil: Global Factors Weigh on Prices
Crude oil prices saw a slight decline today following a brief rally driven by US President Trump’s threats of secondary tariffs on countries importing crude oil from Russia. October Brent crude futures were down by 0.30%, settling at $72.25 per barrel, while September WTI crude futures fell by 0.19%, ending at $69.87 per barrel.
The drop in oil prices was compounded by an increase in US crude oil inventories last week, which further pressured the market. US commercial crude oil inventories rose by 7.7 million barrels, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). This news added to concerns about oversupply in the market, putting downward pressure on crude prices.
In India, crude oil futures on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) also showed a decline, with August futures trading at ₹6,133, down by 0.70%. This could have an impact on inflation and energy prices in India, further influencing the market sentiment.
Conclusion
The Indian stock market ended in negative territory today, as US President Trump’s tariff announcement on Indian exports and broader global uncertainties weighed on investor sentiment. While stocks like DCB Bank and Ambuja Cements reported strong earnings, the broader market was influenced by fears surrounding global trade relations, commodity prices, and oil price fluctuations.
With continued volatility in global markets and ongoing uncertainty regarding US monetary policy, the market faces potential challenges in the coming days. However, strong earnings from key sectors like FMCG and cement may provide pockets of resilience amidst the broader sell-off.
For more stock market insights, check out the StockGro blog.
