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The movement in benchmark indices, Nifty and Sensex, is expected to remain cautious on Tuesday
Sensex Today (Source: Freepik)
Sensex Today: Indian equity markets slipped into the red on Tuesday, June 18, after a strong start, as investor sentiment turned cautious following US President Donald Trump’s sharp warning to Iran amid rising geopolitical tensions. Trump criticised Tehran for not pursuing a nuclear deal with the US, fuelling uncertainty in global markets.
The Sensex dropped 212.85 points, or 0.26%, to close at 81,583.3 after touching an intraday low of 81,427. The Nifty50 also ended lower, shedding 93.1 points, or 0.37%, to settle at 24,853.40.
Broader markets underperformed, with the Nifty Midcap100 and Nifty Smallcap100 indices falling 0.79% and 0.82%, respectively.
Sectorally, losses were broad-based with the exception of IT stocks. Nifty Pharma and Nifty Metal led the decline, falling 1.89% and 1.43%, respectively. Other sectors including Consumer Durables, Oil & Gas, Realty, Auto, Energy, Banking, FMCG, and Media also ended in the red, down up to 1%.
Among the Sensex stocks, 21 out of 30 constituents closed in the red. Tata Motors, Eicher Motors, Sun Pharma, Bajaj Finance, IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finserv, and Nestle India were among the top losers. On the flip side, Tech Mahindra, Asian Paints, Infosys, Maruti Suzuki, NTPC, TCS, and HCL Technologies were the top gainers.
Meanwhile, India VIX, the volatility gauge, declined 2.93% to end at 14.402, indicating easing investor anxiety despite global uncertainties.
Global Cues
Across the Asia-Pacific region, markets largely moved higher as geopolitical concerns eased slightly. Reports indicated that Tehran may be open to diplomatic negotiations, raising hopes of a de-escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict. This optimism supported regional sentiment. Japan’s Nikkei gained 0.35%, while the broader Topix was flat with a slight positive tilt. South Korea’s Kospi surged 1.40%, and Australia’s ASX 200 hovered near the flat line.
Meanwhile, investors are closely watching the Bank of Japan, which is expected to maintain its key interest rate at 0.5% amid global trade headwinds. The central bank is scheduled to wrap up its two-day policy meeting later in the day.
On Wall Street, markets posted strong gains overnight. Optimism around a possible diplomatic breakthrough in the Middle East conflict drove the rally. The Dow Jones advanced 0.75%, the S&P 500 climbed 0.94%, and the Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.52%. However, during early Asian hours, US stock futures edged lower as geopolitical risks remained a concern.
Overall, Indian markets may open lower but will likely take cues from global developments and policy signals from central banks.
Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a…Read More
Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a… Read More
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