2,448 pts gone in Sensex in four days, investors poorer by Rs 9.8 lakh crore as D-Street sinks to five-month lows

Indian equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty50 extended losses to the fourth back-to-back session on Tuesday to hit five-month closing lows. Gains across a majority of sectors in the Indian share market weighed on the headline indices, with financial and IT shares being the biggest drags. Globally, investors awaited a key US inflation reading to assess the future course of interest rates amid a banking shares-led sell-off across global markets following the collapse of US-based startup lender Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). 

The Sensex ended the wild session on Dalal Street 337.7 points or 0.6 per cent lower at 57,900 — taking its losses to 2,450 points in four trading days, and the Nifty50 lost 111 points or 0.7 per cent to settle at settled at 17,043.3. Those were the lowest closing levels for both the gauges since October 13, 2022. 

Investors lost Rs 9.8 lakh crore in wealth in the span of four days as the market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies came down to Rs 256.4 lakh crore from Rs 266.2 lakh crore, according to provisional exchange data.

Adani Enterprises, Adani Ports, Mahindra & Mahindra, TCS and HDFC Life were the worst hit among the 38 laggards in the Nifty50 basket. 

On the other hand, Titan, Bharat Petroleum, Larsen & Toubro, Bharti Airtel and Sun Pharma were the top gainers in the 50-scrip universe. 

Among heavyweights, TCS, Infosys, Adani Enterprises, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Mahindra & Mahindra and ITC were the biggest drags on the headline index.

Broader indices Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 100 fell 0.5 per cent and 0.8 per cent respectively. 

Overall market breadth remained extremely negative through the day, with an advance-decline ratio of 1:2 at the close as 1,129 shares rose and 2,410 fell on BSE. 

Global markets

European markets began the day in the red as banking shares around the globe plunged, even as US President Joe Biden vowed to take action to ensure the safety of the US banking system, after the sudden collapse of US-based startup lender Silicon Valley Bank. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index was down 0.3 per cent at the last count. 

Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite futures, however, were up around half a per cent each, suggesting a positive start ahead on Wall Street in some hope for the bulls. 

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