Indian Stock Markets Snap Six-Day Winning Streak
Indian equity benchmarks closed lower on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, with both the Nifty 50 and S&P BSE Sensex declining over 0.40%. The downturn was primarily driven by significant selling pressure in metal and technology stocks, bringing an end to the market's impressive six-day rally.
Benchmark Indices Performance
The Nifty 50 index dropped 0.47% to settle at 25,892 points, while the S&P BSE Sensex slipped 0.38% to close at 86,625 points. The broader market experienced even steeper declines, with the Nifty Midcap 100 falling 0.60% and the Nifty Smallcap 100 index dropping more than 1% during the trading session.
Among the notable losers were several prominent stocks including Kaynes Technology, Narayana Hrudayalaya, Paytm, and Honasa Consumer. These companies featured among the top decliners as investor sentiment turned cautious amid global economic uncertainties.
Global Factors Influencing Market Sentiment
The weak performance came amid deteriorating global market sentiment, largely due to fading expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut next month. Investors remained cautious ahead of delayed U.S. economic data releases scheduled for the week.
The recent prolonged U.S. government shutdown, which concluded last week, had resulted in the suspension of crucial economic indicators. This left policymakers and traders navigating without vital data points ahead of the Federal Reserve's upcoming policy meeting next month.
Hopes that the resumption of data releases would strengthen the case for a December rate cut diminished further after several Fed officials signaled continued caution about monetary policy easing. Markets are now eagerly awaiting a series of delayed U.S. data releases this week, including September jobs data and the minutes from the Fed's most recent meeting where it implemented a 25 basis point rate cut.
Sectoral Performance and Market Outlook
The metals sector witnessed particularly heavy selling, contributing significantly to the overall market decline. Technology stocks also faced substantial pressure, reflecting broader concerns about global economic growth and interest rate trajectories.
While select heavyweight stocks provided some support to the indices, their positive impact wasn't sufficient to offset the broader weakness across multiple sectors. The market's inability to maintain its upward momentum highlights the ongoing uncertainty among investors regarding near-term economic prospects.
Analysts suggest that the market direction in the coming sessions will depend heavily on the upcoming U.S. economic data releases and any fresh indications from Federal Reserve officials about future monetary policy actions.
