Foreign institutional investors offloaded equities worth ₹525.95 crore on May 19, 2025, according to exchange data. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled 1% on Tuesday (May 20, 2025), dragged down by losses from blue-chip companies HDFC Bank, Reliance Industries and ICICI Bank.

Retreating from early highs, the 30-share BSE Sensex tanked 872.98 points or 1.06% to settle at 81,186.44. During the day, it dropped 905.72 points or 1.10% to 81,153.70.

The NSE Nifty tumbled 261.55 points or 1.05% to 24,683.90.

Analysts said investors opted for profit-booking as they awaited more clarity on the India-U.S. trade agreement.

From Sensex firms, Eternal dropped the most by 4.10%. Maruti, Mahindra & Mahindra, UltraTech Cement, Power Grid, Nestle, Bajaj Finance, Hindustan Unilever and Asian Paints were also among the laggards. HDFC Bank dropped by 1.26% and index major Reliance Industries by 1.13%.

Tata Steel, Infosys and ITC were the gainers.

“With the lack of major positive triggers and prevailing uncertainty over U.S. fiscal stability, investors opted for profit-booking and adopted a cautious stance. Selling pressure was widespread as participants awaited more clarity on the India-U.S. trade agreement,” Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said.

“Given the current premium valuations and delays in the trade deal, we foresee a phase of short-term consolidation, which may lead FIIs to scale back their positions in the domestic market,” he added.

Among Asian markets, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index, Shanghai’s SSE Composite index and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng settled in the positive territory while South Korea’s Kospi ended marginally lower.

Markets in Europe were trading in the green. U.S. markets ended higher on Monday (May 19, 2025).

Global oil benchmark Brent crude dipped 0.11% to $65.47 a barrel.

Foreign institutional investors offloaded equities worth ₹525.95 crore on Monday (May 19, 2025), according to exchange data.

On Monday (May 19, 2025), the 30-share BSE barometer Sensex declined 271.17 points or 0.33% to settle at 82,059.42. The Nifty dipped 74.35 points or 0.30% to 24,945.45.