Indian benchmark stock indices, the Sensex and Nifty, concluded their trading day on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, with their fourth consecutive session of losses. This downturn was primarily driven by investors locking in profits across key sectors like banking, automotive, and capital goods. The market sentiment was further dampened by significant outflows of foreign funds and persistent anxieties surrounding proposed H-1B visa fee increases.
Specifically, the 30-share BSE Sensex closed down 386.47 points, or 0.47%, settling at 81,715.63. Earlier in the day, it had dipped as much as 494.26 points (0.60%) to hit 81,607.84. Similarly, the 50-share NSE Nifty saw a decline of 112.60 points, or 0.45%, ending the day at 25,056.90.
Leading the pack of decliners among Sensex-listed companies were major players such as Tata Motors, Bharat Electronics, UltraTech Cement, Tech Mahindra, Mahindra & Mahindra, ICICI Bank, Tata Consultancy Services, and Axis Bank. In contrast, a few companies managed to buck the trend and post gains, including Power Grid, Hindustan Unilever, NTPC, and HCL Tech.
Exchange data revealed that Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) significantly pulled out funds, offloading equities valued at ₹3,551.19 crore on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, contributing to the market’s downward pressure.
According to Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Investments Limited, the Indian markets are currently witnessing profit-booking following recent GST reforms, as investors reassess company valuations and upcoming Q2 earnings forecasts. The technology sector, in particular, underperformed due to the proposed increases in H-1B visa fees. Nair also noted that broader U.S. trade rhetoric, ongoing trade negotiations, and subdued global market cues are collectively fostering a climate of cautious investor sentiment.
Nair further explained that India’s relatively high market valuations, combined with a slowdown in earnings growth, are compelling Foreign Institutional Investors to scale back their holdings.
Gaurav Garg, an analyst at Lemonn Markets Desk, commented that domestic equities closed lower on Wednesday, September 24, 2025. This was primarily due to negative global market signals, continued FII outflows, and renewed worries regarding shifts in U.S. visa policies. The weakening of the Rupee and steady crude oil prices further intensified this cautious atmosphere. In a broader market slump, the BSE midcap index fell by 0.85%, and the small-cap index decreased by 0.50%.
Sector-wise, the realty sector was the biggest casualty, plummeting by 2.47%. Other significant declines were observed in utilities (1.19%), capital goods (1.09%), services (1.07%), power (1.06%), automotive (1.06%), and consumer discretionary (0.87%). Interestingly, the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector stood out as the sole gainer amidst the widespread market downturn.
Over the course of these four tumultuous days, the BSE benchmark has collectively lost 1,298.33 points (1.56%), while the Nifty has fallen by a total of 366.7 points (1.44%).
Looking at the broader global landscape, most Asian markets presented a mixed picture. South Korea’s Kospi closed lower, but Japan’s Nikkei 225, Shanghai’s SSE Composite, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng indices managed to finish in positive territory. Meanwhile, European equity markets were trading down, and U.S. markets had concluded Tuesday’s session (September 23, 2025) in the red.
On the commodities front, Brent crude, a key global oil benchmark, rose by 0.44% to reach $67.93 per barrel. Concurrently, the Indian Rupee showed some resilience, recovering from its initial dip to 88.80 against the U.S. dollar and eventually settling nearly flat at 88.72. It even touched a day’s high of 88.67 before closing.
The previous day, Tuesday, September 23, 2025, also saw the Sensex close lower by a modest 57.87 points (0.07%) at 82,102.10, with the Nifty recording a slight dip of 32.85 points (0.13%) to 25,169.50.