Indian benchmark indices ended lower on Thursday as expiry-related volatility and continued uncertainty over a diplomatic breakthrough in the Middle East weighed on market sentiment. The Sensex fell 539 points, while the Nifty 50 declined 0.48%.
MUMBAI, India — Indian equity markets closed lower on August 27, with the BSE Sensex falling 539.35 points, or 0.70%, to 76,933.59. The NSE Nifty 50 declined 116.90 points, or 0.48%, to settle at 24,090.85.
Sensex, Nifty Close Lower Amid Global Uncertainty
Expiry-led volatility and continued uncertainty surrounding a diplomatic breakthrough in the Middle East weighed on investor sentiment during Thursday’s session.
Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Investments Limited, said markets could remain range-bound in the near term as expiry-related volatility and geopolitical uncertainty continue to influence trading.
Nair said a degree of higher energy prices has already been factored into earnings expectations, while the recent moderation in crude oil prices and long-term bond yields is supporting the inflation outlook.
Pharma Gains While Metal and PSU Banks Decline
| NSE Sectoral Index | Change |
|---|---|
| Nifty Pharma | +0.84% |
| Nifty Private Bank | +0.09% |
| Nifty Metal | -0.86% |
| Nifty PSU Bank | -0.94% |
| Nifty FMCG | -0.47% |
| Nifty Auto | -0.40% |
| Nifty IT | -0.32% |
Nifty Pharma was the strongest major sectoral performer, gaining 0.84%, while Nifty Private Bank advanced 0.09%. Nifty PSU Bank recorded the sharpest decline among the listed sectors, falling 0.94%, followed by Nifty Metal with a 0.86% drop.
Nifty Gainers and Losers
| Top Nifty Gainers | Change |
|---|---|
| Adani Enterprises | +1.83% |
| Kotak Mahindra Bank | +1.80% |
| Adani Ports | +1.33% |
| Cipla | +1.23% |
| Bharat Electronics Limited | +1.01% |
| Top Nifty Losers | Change |
|---|---|
| Hindalco Industries | -2.75% |
| HDFC Bank | -2.23% |
| Mahindra & Mahindra | -2.01% |
| Shriram Finance | -1.48% |
| Grasim Industries | -1.27% |
Adani Enterprises was the top gainer among Nifty stocks, rising 1.83%. Kotak Mahindra Bank, Adani Ports, Cipla and Bharat Electronics Limited also advanced.
Hindalco Industries was the biggest laggard, declining 2.75%. HDFC Bank, Mahindra & Mahindra, Shriram Finance and Grasim Industries also ended lower.
Analysts See Broader Market Structure Intact
Riyank Arora, Associate Vice President – HNI & Derivatives at Hedged.in, said the broader market structure remained intact despite Thursday’s decline. He described the session as profit booking following recent gains.
Arora said the overall trend continues to favour the bulls as long as key support levels remain intact. He added that traders and investors may continue to adopt a buy-on-dips approach in fundamentally strong stocks while maintaining disciplined risk management.
Crude Oil and Asian Markets in Focus
At the time of reporting, Brent crude was trading at USD 88.36 per barrel, up 0.60%.
| Asian Market | Change |
|---|---|
| Japan Nikkei 225 | -0.20% |
| Singapore Straits Times | -0.66% |
| Hong Kong Hang Seng | -0.41% |
| Taiwan Weighted Index | +0.31% |
| South Korea KOSPI | +1.51% |
| Shanghai Composite | +1.11% |
Asian markets delivered a mixed performance. Japan’s Nikkei 225, Singapore’s Straits Times and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng ended lower, while Taiwan’s Weighted Index, South Korea’s KOSPI and the Shanghai Composite posted gains.
Markets Await Fed Chair’s Jackson Hole Address
According to Nair, investors will closely watch the Federal Reserve chair’s upcoming Jackson Hole address for signals on inflation, interest rates and the policy outlook.
He said those signals could influence global risk sentiment and capital flows into emerging markets. Foreign institutional investor inflows and resilient earnings momentum remain supportive factors for Indian equities, particularly mid-cap stocks, according to his assessment.
Praveen Yadav is the Founder and Editor at The Nation Bulletin. With over 3 years of experience in digital journalism and news reporting, he covers national affairs, governance, and breaking current events with a commitment to factual accuracy and verified reporting.
