Post-Market Report: Indian Equities Close Lower Amid Mixed Cues and FII Outflows
Published: 2025-12-17 17:44 IST | Category: Markets | Author: Abhi
Market Performance Today
Indian equity markets witnessed a cautious trading day on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, ultimately closing lower despite opening with modest gains. The S&P BSE Sensex shed 120.21 points, or 0.14%, to settle at 84,559.65. Similarly, the NSE Nifty50 declined by 41.55 points, or 0.16%, to finish at 25,818.55. This marked the third consecutive session of declines for the benchmark indices.
Top Movers (Sectors and Stocks)
The market saw a mixed bag of performances across sectors and individual stocks.
Top Gainers (Nifty/Sensex):
- Shriram Finance
- State Bank of India (SBI)
- Hindalco Industries
- Infosys
- Axis Bank
Top Losers (Nifty/Sensex):
- Max Healthcare Institute Ltd.
- Trent Ltd.
- HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd.
- Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Ltd.
- IndusInd Bank Ltd.
- ICICI Bank
- Adani Ports
- Hero MotoCorp Ltd.
Sectoral Performance:
- Gaining Sectors: The PSU Bank index was a notable gainer, adding around 1.2% to 1.3%. Financial and metal stocks also recorded some gains.
- Lagging Sectors: FMCG and consumer goods stocks were significant laggards. Other sectors facing selling pressure included Capital Goods, Consumer Durables, Media, Realty, Private Bank, Healthcare, and Auto, with declines ranging from 0.4% to 2%.
Key Drivers of Today's Market
Several factors contributed to the subdued market performance on Wednesday:
- Mixed Global Cues: Global markets presented a mixed picture, with US indices closing mixed (Dow Jones and S&P 500 lower, Nasdaq higher) and Asian markets showing modest gains. This failed to provide a strong directional impetus for Indian equities.
- Persistent FII Outflows: Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) continued their selling streak, offloading equities worth Rs 2,381.92 crore on the preceding day, which remained a significant drag on investor sentiment.
- Rupee Volatility: While the rupee initially weakened, it appreciated by 66 paise to 90.37 against the US dollar, snapping a five-day losing streak. However, the overall weakness in the rupee has been a concern for foreign investors.
- Lack of Fresh Triggers: Benchmark indices struggled to sustain early gains, as there were no significant fresh domestic triggers to fuel a sustained rally.
- Profit Booking: Investors engaged in selective profit booking across various sectors after recent highs, contributing to the downward movement.
- US Jobs Data and Fed Outlook: Mixed US jobs data and uncertainty surrounding the Federal Reserve's interest rate outlook also played a role in the cautious global sentiment.
- US-India Trade Deal Delays: Delays in finalizing a potential trade deal between India and the US further added to the prevailing uncertainty.
- DII Support: Despite the FII selling, consistent buying by Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) provided some stability and helped cushion sharper declines.
Broader Market Performance
The broader market also reflected the cautious sentiment, underperforming the frontline indices. The BSE Midcap index fell by 0.5% to 0.6%, while the BSE Smallcap index declined by 0.8% to nearly 1%. On the NSE, the Nifty Midcap 100 dropped 0.83% and the Nifty Smallcap 100 slipped 0.92%. Market breadth was negative, with falling stocks significantly outnumbering advancing ones on both the NSE and BSE. Interestingly, the India VIX, a measure of market volatility, decreased by 2.16% to 9.85, reaching a new all-time low and indicating reduced near-term uncertainty.
TAGS: Post-Market, Stock Market, Nifty, Sensex, Market Analysis
Tags: Post-Market Stock Market Nifty Sensex Market Analysis