Closing Bell: Sensex sheds 364 points, Nifty ends below 23,900; auto stocks provide limited support

Synopsis: Indian equity benchmarks closed lower for the fourth straight session as broad-based selling across banking, realty and energy stocks outweighed gains in the auto pack. Weakness in the broader market further weighed on investor sentiment. Domestic equity benchmarks ended Thursday's session on a weak note, extending losses for the fourth consecutive trading day as selling pressure persisted across most sectors. The Sensex settled 364 points lower at 76,390 , while the Nifty 50 closed 127 points down at 23,869, slipping below the crucial 23,900 mark. Market breadth remained firmly negative, with sectoral indices largely ending in the red. Nifty Realty was the biggest underperformer, followed by losses in Oil & Gas, Infrastructure, PSU Bank, Energy, Metal, Pharma, FMCG, Consumer Durables, and IT, indicating broad-based weakness across the market. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing.