Mon Nov 18 05:14:13 UTC 2024: ## Indian Stock Market Plunges Amidst Global Uncertainty

**Mumbai, November 18, 2024** – Indian stock markets experienced a significant downturn today, mirroring a negative trend in global markets. The Sensex plummeted approximately 500 points, closing at 77,090, while the Nifty fell 159 points to 23,373, dipping below the 23,400 mark. This follows a sharp decline in US markets on Friday, with the Dow Jones, NASDAQ, and S&P 500 all closing significantly lower.

While some sectors like banking, financials, auto, metals, and realty showed gains, FMCG, IT, and pharma sectors suffered losses. Top gainers included LT, Tata Steel, HDFC Bank, Titan, and Bajaj Finance, while top losers were Infosys (INFY), Axis Bank, IndusInd Bank, Maruti, and UltraTech Cement.

The global market uncertainty was further reflected in mixed trends in Asian markets. While some, like the Shanghai Composite and KOSPI, showed gains, others like the Nikkei 225 experienced declines. The GIFT Nifty, however, showed a slight increase. Brent crude oil prices saw a recovery, trading around $71.40 per barrel. The US dollar index neared a two-year high of 106.70, and the 10-year US bond yield hovered around 4.45%.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) remained net sellers on November 14th, offloading shares worth ₹1849.87 crore, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) were net buyers, purchasing shares worth ₹2481.81 crore. Several stocks, including Aarti Industries, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail, GNFC, Granules India, and Hindustan Copper, were placed under the F&O ban on NSE due to exceeding market-wide position limits. Despite a brief morning rally showing a 26-point gain for the Sensex, the day ended with considerable losses for the Indian market.

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