Market Recap: Sensex slips 57 points; Nifty holds below 25,200;

AXISBANK

gains 2%,

TECHM

declines 2%

Indian equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty closed lower on Tuesday, marking their third straight session of losses. Festive-season demand boosted auto stocks, but broader weakness—driven by concerns over a sharp rise in U.S. H-1B visa fees—weighed on overall sentiment. The S&P BSE Sensex dipped 0.07%, settling at 82,102.10, down 57.87 points, while the NSE Nifty 50 eased 0.13% to 25,169.50, slipping 32.85 points. Sectoral Trends: IT stocks, the second-heaviest component on the indices, dropped 0.7%, extending a 3% slide from Monday, as investors fretted over the impact of the proposed $100,000 U.S. H-1B visa levy on operating margins of export-driven companies. Financials inched up 0.1%, while banks advanced 0.4%. Automobile shares rose 0.6%, closing just short of record highs, supported by robust festive demand during Navratri and aided by recent GST reductions. Metal counters climbed 1% after Nomura reiterated a bullish stance on India’s steel sector. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing.