Today Sensex Falls 500 Points, Nifty Slips Below 24,550; IndusInd Drops 2%,

Gains 3% India's benchmark indices traded lower on Thursday, with the Sensex falling over 500 points and the Nifty slipping below the 24,550 mark. Analysts suggest that the market is entering a phase of consolidation after recent gains driven by easing inflation and positive developments in U.S.-China trade negotiations. At the opening bell, nine out of the 13 major sectoral indices were in the red, indicating broad-based weakness. However, the small-cap and mid-cap indices remained relatively flat, showing limited participation in the decline. In the broader region, Asian markets showed muted action, with the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index holding steady after a 1.5% gain in the previous session. On Wall Street, U.S. markets ended mixed overnight, following a strong rally earlier in the week triggered by renewed optimism over the U.S.-China trade truce. Despite the current pullback, the Nifty 50 and Sensex have recorded weekly gains of 2.7% and 2.4%, respectively, approaching their highest levels in seven months. However, analysts caution that recent profit-booking suggests the upward momentum may face resistance at higher levels.