Post-Market Report: Sensex and Nifty Plunge as Adani Stocks Lead Market Rout
Published: 2026-01-23 17:00 IST | Category: Markets | Author: Abhi
Market Performance Today
The Indian equity markets faced intense selling pressure on Friday, ending the week on a somber note. The BSE Sensex closed at 81,537.70, down 769.67 points or 0.94%. Similarly, the NSE Nifty 50 settled at 25,048.65, losing 241.25 points or 0.95%. The market opened with mild gains but quickly reversed course as volatility, represented by the India VIX, jumped over 5% to cross the 14-mark.
Top Movers (Sectors and Stocks)
The session was dominated by bears, with the Adani Group bearing the brunt of the selling.
Top Gainers:
- Tech Mahindra
- Infosys
- Hindustan Unilever (HUL)
- TCS
- Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
Top Losers:
- Adani Enterprises (down over 10%)
- Adani Ports (down approx. 7%)
- Eternal Ltd
- InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo)
- Axis Bank
Sectoral Highlights: All major sectoral indices ended in the red. The Nifty Realty index was the worst performer, sliding 3.34%, followed by Nifty PSU Bank which dropped 2.27%. The energy and media sectors also witnessed significant drubbing.
Key Drivers of Today's Market
Several factors contributed to the sharp decline in the indices:
- Adani Group Crisis: Reports of potential summons by U.S. regulators for the group's top leadership triggered a panic sell-off, with some group stocks plunging as much as 14%.
- Sustained FII Selling: Foreign Portfolio Investors continued their heavy offloading of Indian equities, a trend that has persisted throughout January 2026.
- Pre-Budget Caution: Investors adopted a "wait-and-watch" approach, trimming positions ahead of the Union Budget 2026 scheduled for February 1st.
- Weak Corporate Earnings: A Mint analysis of Q3FY26 results indicated the weakest profit growth for Indian corporates in three years, dampening investor sentiment.
- Currency Pressure: The Indian Rupee hit fresh record lows against the U.S. Dollar, further discouraging foreign investors.
Broader Market Performance
The carnage was even more pronounced in the broader markets, which underperformed the benchmarks. The BSE Midcap index fell by 1.6%, while the BSE Smallcap index saw a steeper decline of 2.2%. Market breadth was heavily skewed in favor of decliners, with nearly 2,861 stocks ending lower on the BSE compared to 1,259 gainers, resulting in an investor wealth loss of approximately ₹6 lakh crore in a single day.
TAGS: Post-Market, Stock Market, Nifty, Sensex, Market Analysis
Tags: Post-Market Stock Market Nifty Sensex Market Analysis