Nifty falls 99 points as WPI inflation hits 11.39%

Market update | Wednesday, 14 October 2026 Indian equity markets closed lower as rising wholesale inflation and weakness in financial stocks weighed on sentiment. Nifty 50 declined 99.25 points (-0.44%) to 22,622.70, while Sensex fell 251.89 points (-0.34%) to 72,781.89. Bank Nifty lost 165.05 points (-0.30%) to 55,316.00. Key market drivers Inflation pressure: September WPI inflation rose to 11.39%, driven by food, fuel and manufactured goods. Volatility: India VIX increased 3.61% to 14.62, indicating higher market uncertainty. Currency and crude: The rupee strengthened to 95.14 per US dollar, while Brent crude rose 0.51% to $106.23 per barrel. Market breadth: Nifty recorded 15 advances against 35 declines. The Nifty 500 also closed with negative breadth at 240 advances and 260 declines. Sector performance Energy led with a 1.30% gain, followed by FMCG (+1.00%) and Oil & Gas (+0.51%). Financial Services declined 1.73%, Realty fell 1.42%, and Pharma dropped 1.40%. Technical outlook: Nifty 50 Nifty remains below its 20-day moving average of 22,851.52 and 50-day average of 23,340.34. RSI stands at 42, reflecting weak momentum. Support: 22,535 and 22,448 Resistance: 22,734 and 22,846 Options positioning: 22,500 put OI and 23,000 call OI are the key reference levels. PCR: 0.67, indicating call open interest exceeds put open interest. A sustained move above 22,846 may improve the short-term outlook, while a break below 22,535 could expose the 22,500 zone. What to watch next: Inflation trends, crude oil prices, FII flows and upcoming corporate earnings, particularly Wipro, Tech Mahindra, HDFC Life and Nestle India on 15 October. Learning outcome: Rising inflation, sector rotation and options positioning can help investors assess market risk, but price confirmation and disciplined risk management remain essential.