Sensex falls 170 points, Nifty near 23,950; auto stocks remain in focus

Indian equity benchmarks traded in negative territory during Thursday's morning session as gains in auto shares were offset by weakness in banking stocks. The Sensex was lower by 160 points at 76,595, while the Nifty 50 slipped 49 points to 23,948. Market breadth remained evenly balanced, with 1,755 stocks advancing, 1,778 declining, and 177 stocks unchanged. Among sectoral indices, Nifty Auto and Nifty Media led the gains, while Bank Nifty, Nifty PSU Bank, and Nifty Private Bank witnessed selling pressure. The broader market also remained subdued, with both midcap and smallcap indices trading marginally lower. Meanwhile, India VIX eased, indicating a decline in market volatility. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing.