Markets close lower as Rupee volatility, weak breadth dampen sentiment

Market Overview - The equity markets ended marginally lower, with the BSE Sensex closing at 84,559.65, down 120.21 points or 0.14 percent, and the NSE Nifty falling 41.55 points or 0.16 percent to settle at 25,818.55 [2][9] - Nearly two-thirds of traded stocks declined, with 2,761 out of 4,328 stocks on the BSE experiencing losses, and 196 stocks hitting 52-week lows [2][3] Currency Impact - The Indian rupee opened at a record low of 91.07 against the US dollar but briefly recovered to 89.96 before falling back above 90, influenced by continued foreign outflows [3][4] - The rupee's volatility is expected to persist, with predictions of trading in the 89.80–90.80 range [4] Sector Performance - Among sectoral indices, Nifty PSU Bank saw a gain of 1.20 percent, while Nifty Media dropped by 1.80 percent, with Nifty Realty and FMCG also lagging [6] - The Nifty Midcap 100 declined by 321.95 points or 0.54 percent, and the Nifty Smallcap 100 fell by 126.60 points or 0.73 percent [6] Notable Stock Movements - Shriram Finance led the gainers, rising 2.07 percent to ₹866.00, followed by State Bank of India at ₹976.35, Hindalco at ₹848.00, Eicher Motors at ₹7,143.00, and Tata Consumer at ₹1,180.00 [7] - On the losing side, Max Healthcare plunged 3.71 percent to ₹1,033.20, Apollo Hospitals fell 1.98 percent to ₹6,912.00, and HDFC Life slipped 1.49 percent to ₹752.95 [8] Technical Analysis - The market faced resistance near 25,920/84,900, forming a bearish candle on daily charts, indicating a negative trend [9] - A decisive slip below 25,700 could trigger a correction towards 25,500–25,400, while the 25,950-26,000 zone is expected to act as crucial resistance [10]