Muted Start for Markets: Sensex Down 100 pts, Nifty Below 25,500; HUL Bucks Trend

Markets Open Lower as Global Cues Weigh; HUL, Asian Paints Gain.

Indian equity benchmarks opened in the red on Monday, tracking weak global cues and investor caution amid geopolitical tensions and regulatory developments. Sentiment remained subdued following fresh trade tariff comments from US President Donald Trump and concerns over a potential delay in a US-India trade deal.

At 9:50 am, the BSE Sensex was down 65.28 points at 83,367.61, while the NSE Nifty50 slipped 16.45 points to 25,444.55.

“Markets are expected to remain volatile today, with uncertainty around the US-India trade deal and SEBI’s action on Jane Street influencing sentiment,” said Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services. “A breakthrough in trade negotiations before the July 9 deadline could offer short-term support.”

HUL, Consumer Stocks Outperform

Hindustan Unilever led the gainers on the Nifty, rising 1.69%, followed by Asian Paints (0.83%), NTPC (0.67%), Bajaj Finserv (0.65%), and Reliance Industries (0.57%).

Among laggards, Bharat Electronics fell 2.20%, while Eicher Motors dropped 1.32%. Tech Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, and HCL Technologies also registered declines of over 0.85%.

The Nifty Midcap100 was down 0.26%, and the Nifty Smallcap index fell 0.28%. India VIX rose 2.03%, indicating a pickup in market volatility.

Sectoral Check: FMCG Leads, Media Drags

Sectoral indices were largely weak at the open. Nifty FMCG was the top gainer, up 0.90%, supported by strength in frontline consumer names. Oil & Gas (0.23%), Consumer Durables (0.17%), and PSU Bank (0.05%) also edged higher.

In contrast, Nifty Media slumped 1.23%, while Pharma, Metal, and Healthcare each slipped nearly half a percent. IT, Private Bank, Auto, Financial Services, and Realty also traded in the red.

“The regulatory crackdown on Jane Street could temporarily dampen volumes in derivatives and weigh on exchanges and brokerage stocks,” Vijayakumar noted. “However, long-term investors should look at any meaningful correction as an opportunity to buy into high-quality largecaps.”