Sensex, Nifty Decline as FMCG and Port Stocks Face Pressure

Highlights

• Sensex retreats from intraday high amid broad market weakness

• Nifty trades below key index level, FMCG and port sectors under pressure

• Adani Ports, HUL, and Nestle among top laggards; IndusInd Bank and Maruti Suzuki advance

The Indian equity market opened on a mixed note, with the benchmark indices — BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty — showing signs of volatility during the session. The Sensex dropped sharply from its intraday high while the Nifty fell below a crucial index level, influenced largely by losses in the fast-moving consumer goods and infrastructure sectors.

While midcap and smallcap indices under the BSE umbrella hovered around the flatline, a downward trend was visible in the broader market due to weak sentiment across most sectors.

FMCG Stocks Lead the Fall

The fast-moving consumer goods segment bore the brunt of the selling pressure. Companies such as Hindustan Unilever Ltd (NSE: HINDUNILVR) and Nestle India Ltd (NSE: NESTLEIND) featured among the top losers in the Nifty 50 index. These counters witnessed sustained downward momentum throughout the trading session, weighing on the broader index.

Other names in the segment also saw weakness, contributing to the overall slide in the Nifty FMCG index, which remained subdued. This segment’s underperformance marked a significant influence on the day’s market direction.

Port and Logistics Under Pressure

The infrastructure and logistics space also recorded notable declines. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (NSE: ADANIPORTS) was among the most significant draggers on the Nifty index. The weakness in this counter contributed to a downward trend in related industrial segments.

This performance follows broader uncertainty in global trade flows, although the trading environment remains active. The movement in ADANIPORTS stock had a visible impact on sentiment across the logistics and transport index.

Banking Sector Shows Mixed Signals

Financial names had a varied performance through the day. While some counters showed resilience, others remained under pressure. Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd (NSE: KOTAKBANK) saw its stock price move lower, reflecting weakness in select private banking names.

On the other side, IndusInd Bank Ltd (NSE: INDUSINDBK) was among the gainers on the Nifty index, indicating segmented movement within the banking sector. This divergence shaped the performance of the broader Nifty Bank index.

Auto Stocks Offer Limited Support

The auto sector provided some cushion to the falling market, with notable gains seen in Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (NSE: MARUTI), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd (NSE: M&M), and Eicher Motors Ltd (NSE: EICHERMOT). These gains offered some resistance against the broader market weakness.

The Nifty Auto index managed to stay in the green territory, making it the only sectoral index with positive traction during the session. The demand-led resilience in the auto segment contributed partially to slowing down the broader market fall.

Midcap and Smallcap Trends Remain Steady

The BSE Midcap and BSE Smallcap indices traded with minimal movement, showing stability despite volatility in larger indices. This indicates a selective approach from market participants, with limited activity outside blue-chip counters.

Despite the overall weakness, the flat performance in mid- and small-cap spaces shows a neutral sentiment prevailing in lower-cap stocks during the session.

Sectoral Snapshot

Among sectoral indices, auto remained the only index in the green, while FMCG, financials, and infrastructure sectors witnessed losses. The divergence across sectors kept traders cautious, with the Nifty 50 and Sensex experiencing notable pressure.

As the session continued, trading activity suggested a sector-specific movement rather than a broad-based trend, keeping market behavior mixed across different indices.