CHENNAI: The Indian stock market ended sharply lower on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, following broad-based selling across most sectors. Benchmark indices, the BSE Sensex and Nifty50, both witnessed significant declines, with losses exceeding 1%.
The BSE Sensex fell by 872.98 points, or 1.06%, to settle at 81,186.44. The index traded within a wide range, moving between 82,250.42 and 81,153.70 during the session.
Similarly, the Nifty50 closed down by 261.55 points, or 1.05%, at 24,683.90.
Sectoral and Stock Performance
Barring a few stocks such as Tata Steel, Infosys, and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), most of the Sensex constituents ended in the red. The biggest drag came from Eternal, which plunged 4.24%, followed by Maruti Suzuki (-2.7%), UltraTech Cement (-2.04%), Power Grid (-2%), and Nestlé India (-1.9%). These losses outweighed gains in Tata Steel (up 1.27%), Infosys (up 0.23%), and TCS (up 0.07%).
Market Breadth and Broader Indices
The market breadth remained negative, with 2,522 out of the 4,104 stocks traded on the BSE closing lower. In contrast, 1,448 stocks ended in the green, while 134 remained unchanged.
Among the broader market indices, the Nifty Midcap100 and Smallcap100 indices also ended the day lower by 1.62% and 0.94%, respectively.
Sectoral Indices
Sector-wise, the Auto sector was the hardest hit, with the Nifty Auto index plunging 2.17%. All other sectoral indices, including Banking, IT, FMCG, and Realty, also closed in the red, indicating widespread selling.
Volatility
The India VIX, a gauge of market volatility, rose by 0.12% to settle at 17.39 points, indicating heightened market nervousness.
According to analysts investors were cautious amidst a broader sell-off, with the fear index inching higher. Market participants will closely monitor global cues and domestic factors as they brace for the next trading session, they say.