Dalal Street Sinks: Sensex Down 600 Points, Nifty Below 26,000 on FII Sell-Off

FIIs Dump Stocks; Sensex Crashes 610 Points, Nifty Slips Below 26,000

Benchmark indices closed sharply lower on Monday as heavy selling by foreign institutional investors (FIIs) and a jump in volatility dragged markets deep into the red. The S&P BSE Sensex fell 609.68 points to end at 85,102.69, while the NSE Nifty50 dropped 225.90 points to settle at 25,960.55. Early attempts at recovery fizzled out as selling intensified through the second half of trade.

Broader markets also weakened, with mid-cap and small-cap indices closing firmly in the red, reflecting a risk-off mood beyond frontline stocks. Selling pressure dominated key sectors — especially banking, financials, IT, and metals — pulling the benchmarks lower. Heavyweight stocks witnessed persistent profit-taking despite selective buying in defensive names.

Volatility surged during the session, underscoring investor nervousness ahead of crucial global and domestic cues. Sustained FII outflows have emerged as a major drag on sentiment, traders said. With global bond yields, crude prices, and currency movements adding to uncertainty, analysts expect markets to remain choppy in the near term, with stock-specific action likely to drive trade.