MOHAMMAD ZIYAUDDIN
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Mumbai: The Indian stock market continued its downward trend on February 18, 2025, as both the BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty ended the day in red due to persistent foreign institutional investor (FII) selling and weak Q3 earnings reports.
The 30-share BSE Sensex closed 29.47 points lower at 75,967.39, while the Nifty 50 slipped 14.20 points, settling at 22,945.30.
Sensex & Nifty Plunge Since September 2024
The market has been on a declining streak since September 2024, with the Sensex falling nearly 10,000 points from its all-time high.
- Sensex correction: Down 13.17% from its peak.
- Nifty correction: Dropped 14.52% (3,332.05 points) from its highest level.
Market Cap Erosion
- On September 27, 2024, BSE's market capitalization touched an all-time high of ₹47.91 lakh crore.
- By February 18, 2025, it had fallen to ₹39.81 lakh crore, marking a loss of ₹90 lakh crore.
Sensex Laggards & Gainers
Top Losers:
- Asian Paints
- UltraTech Cement
- Hindustan Unilever
- Sun Pharma
- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)
- ITC
Top Gainers:
- Kotak Mahindra Bank
- Tech Mahindra
- Power Grid
- HCL Tech
- NTPC
- Zomato
Expert Opinions on Market Decline
FII Selling & Weak Sentiment Continue
- Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold equities worth ₹3,937.83 crore on February 17, 2025, adding pressure to the markets.
- According to Ameya Ranadive, Senior Technical Analyst at StoxBox:
"The market saw a slight decline due to weak earnings and continued foreign selling, which dampened investor confidence." - V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, stated:
"Despite a mild recovery on Monday, the market lacks momentum for a rally. FII selling and weak news flows continue to impact sentiment."
Global Markets & Crude Oil Update
- Asian Markets:
- Hong Kong, Seoul, and Tokyo closed in green.
- Shanghai ended lower.
- U.S. Markets: Closed on Monday for President’s Day.
- Brent Crude Oil: Rose 0.24% to $75.40 per barrel.
Mild Recovery After Eight-Day Decline
Despite an early decline, the Sensex rebounded by 57.65 points, closing at 75,996.86. Similarly, the Nifty gained 30.25 points, ending at 22,959.50.
While Tuesday's losses were marginal, the larger trend remains bearish, with investors closely watching FII activity, global cues, and Q4 earnings reports for signs of a potential recovery.
