Closing Bell: Sensex Plunges 470 Points, Nifty Settles Just Above 10,700

Market benchmark BSE Sensex plunged 470 points on Thursday, dragged by a heavy sell-off in banking and energy stocks amid incessant foreign fund outflows.

After gyrating 626 points, the 30-share index ended 470.41 points, or 1.29 per cent, lower at 36,093.47. The index hit an intra-day low of 35,987.80 and a high of 36,613.93.

Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty plunged 135.85 points, or 1.25 per cent, to settle at 10,704.80.

Shares of Yes Bank tanked over 15.52 per cent after a Moody’s report said Altico default may be credit negative for banks given their significant exposure to the real estate sector.

Among the banks Moody’s rates, Yes Bank and IndusInd Bank have the largest direct exposure to commercial real estate and will be susceptible to asset quality difficulties if the sector continues to slow, the agency said.

ICICI Bank and Axis Bank are also significantly exposed to the sector, with commercial real estate loans making up over 5 per cent of their overall loans. IndusInd Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank fell up to 3.59 per cent.

Other losers in the Sensex pack included Tata Steel, Maruti, SBI, RIL, Tech Mahindra, ONGC, Vedanta, Bajaj Finance, Hero MotoCorp and TCS, falling up to 3.66 per cent. Tata Motors, HDFC Bank, Bharti Airtel and Asian Paints were the only gainers, rising up to 1.97 per cent.

According to experts, stock-specific sell-off in index heavyweights dragged key indices lower. In the previous session, the BSE barometer ended 82.79 points, or 0.23 per cent, higher at 36,563.88. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty gained 23.05 points, or 0.21 per cent, to finish at 10,840.65.

Top losers in the Sensex pack in early trade included Yes Bank, ICICI Bank, IndusInd Bank, Tata Steel, Tech Mahindra, NTPC, SBI, HCL Tech, TCS, L&T, Infosys and Axis Bank, shedding up to 4.21 per cent.

On the other hand, Tata Motors, Maruti, Asian Paints, HDFC Bank, HUL and Bharti Airtel rose up to 1.40 per cent. According to traders, global investor sentiment turned cautious after the US Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points, but dimmed hopes for further rate cuts as it took a cautious approach to further reductions in borrowing costs.

Market sentiment also turned weak after the US Federal Reserve slashed the policy rate by 25 basis points but dimmed hopes for further rate cuts as it took a cautious approach to further reductions in borrowing costs.

Unabated foreign fund outflow too weighed on market sentiment here, traders said. On Wednesday, foreign portfolio investor sold shares worth a net of Rs 959.09 crore, while domestic institutional investors bought equities worth Rs 780.45 crore, provisional data showed.

Meanwhile, Brent crude futures gained 1.98 per cent to USD 64.81 per barrel (intra-day). The rupee depreciated 6 paise (intra-day) to trade at 71.30 per US dollar.

Elsewhere in Asia, Shanghai Composite Index, Nikkei and Kospi ended on a positive note, while Hang Seng settled in the red. Stock exchanges in Europe were trading in the green in their respective early sessions.

(With inputs from PTI)