The SENSEX Index Closes 1.46% Lower

India’s BSE Sensex closed about 1.4% down at 74,775.7 on Friday, extending losses for a third session, after a sharp late-session selloff wiped out some early gains. Trade was largely impacted by MSCI Global Standard Index rebalancing, which triggered an estimated USD 800 million to USD 1 billion in foreign passive outflows from Indian equities, leading to intense intraday volatility. At the same time, investors remained cautious amid ongoing FII outflows, persistent geopolitical uncertainty and weaker-than-normal monsoon forecasts that could impact inflation. Most sectors came under pressure, with profit booking in oil & gas, metals, autos and financials offset by strength in technology stocks. Power Grid (-3.5%), IndiGo (-3.3%), NTPC (-2.9%), M&M (-2.7%), Tata Steel (-2.7%) and Bajaj Finance (-2.7%) were the biggest laggards. Tech stocks, meanwhile, maintained relative resilience amid optimism around AI and improving global tech sentiment. The index posted a monthly loss of 2.8%.

The SENSEX Index decreased 1109 points or 1.46 percent on Friday to close at 74759 points. The decline was led by Power Grid (-4.55%), NTPC (-2.61%) and Reliance Industries (-2.39%).

India’s BSE Sensex opened about 0.1% higher at 75,912 on Friday, recovering some losses from the previous two sessions, supported by gains in technology stocks, although upside momentum remained limited as investors assessed improving prospects for peace in the Middle East and the implications for global oil prices. Among technology stocks, Wipro shares surged about 4% after its US-listed shares jumped 18.5% on Thursday following a partnership with ServiceNow to deploy agentic AI workflows. Other major gainers included TCS (+1.9%), Infosys (+4%), HCL (+1.9%), LTM (+3%), and Sterlite Technologies (+5%). Meanwhile, Adani Total Gas advanced 3.3%, supported by a series of domestic compressed natural gas (CNG) price hikes and the company’s strong March-quarter earnings results. On the other hand, Bharti Airtel (-1.4%), MCX (-3.6%), Bharat (-7.3%), and Delta Corp (-12.4%) traded lower. The index is on track for a weekly gain of 0.6% so far.