On Thursday, 1 October, India’s benchmark indices fell for the fourth straight session. The SENSEX dropped 570.59 points, a 0.79 % decline, to close at 71,909.70. The NIFTY50 fell 198.50 points, a 0.88 % loss, ending at 22,421.95. The National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange will remain closed on Friday, 2 October, for Gandhi Jayanti, with trading resuming on Monday, 5 October. The negative trend reflected a broader sell‑off across the market, driven by weak auto stocks, a weaker rupee and foreign fund outflows.

Foreign institutional investors sold shares worth ₹10,148.41 crore on Wednesday, while domestic institutional investors purchased equities worth ₹11,271.73 crore on a net basis, according to exchange data. The India VIX surged as much as 16.3 % to an intraday high of 15.69, signalling heightened market volatility. The SENSEX fell as much as 1.64 % to hit an intraday low of 71,292.88, and the NIFTY50 dropped as much as 1.8 % to reach a session low of 22,217.30, reflecting a broad‑based sell‑off across sectors in the Indian equity market.

The biggest fallers in the NIFTY50 were Bajaj Auto, down 7.62 %, and Maruti Suzuki, down 4.86 %. Shriram Finance, Tata Steel and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zones also slipped by 3.84 %, 3.42 % and 3.36 % respectively. The decline in auto stocks was driven by subdued September 2026 vehicle sales data and benchmark Brent crude oil prices hovering around $99 per barrel, which failed to lift investor sentiment. This downturn also coincided with a weaker rupee and increased foreign fund outflows, amplifying market pressure in the broader equity landscape.

Among the top gainers were Infosys, up 4.11 %; HDFC Life Insurance Company, up 2.49 %; HDFC Bank, up 1.76 %; SBI Life Insurance Company, up 1.49 %; and Max Healthcare Institute, up 1.20 %. These gains were part of a broader rally in the index, with the NIFTY50 closing down 0.88 %. The performance reflected investor focus on domestic companies amid global market volatility. The rally was supported by positive sentiment in the technology and financial sectors. Investors remained cautious due to ongoing geopolitical tensions and economic data.

The NIFTY Midcap 100 fell 1.01 % or 600.05 points to 58,732, with PB Fintech, Swiggy, Kalyan Jewellers India, UPL Ltd and LIC Housing Finance among the top laggards. The NIFTY Smallcap 100 declined 0.97 % or 187.05 points to 19,058.65, led by Chennai Petroleum Corporation, IFCI Ltd, Welspun Corp, Piramal Pharma and Affle 3i. On the upside, IDBI Bank, HFCL Ltd, Sterlite Technologies, Nuvama Wealth Management and Cohance Lifesciences posted gains. Sterlite Technologies hit a 52‑week high after securing a $1.2 billion Long‑Term Supply Agreement with an international hyperscale partner, valid until December 2030.