Sensex slips 100 points, Nifty hovers near 25,700; Eicher, Asian Paints lead losses

Sensex dips 107 points, Nifty near 25,700 as markets stay cautious ahead of Q3 earnings

Indian benchmark indices opened on a muted note on Wednesday, with investors focusing on individual stocks amid the ongoing Q3FY26 results season. Concerns over geopolitical tensions and uncertainty around the US-India trade deal kept buying interest in check.

The BSE Sensex was trading around 83,520, down 107 points (0.13%), while the Nifty50 stood near 25,713, lower by 19 points (0.07%). In the broader markets, the Nifty MidCap index slipped 0.1%, whereas the Nifty SmallCap index gained 0.22%.

Global cues weigh on sentiment

US markets ended lower overnight. Financial stocks slid after JPMorgan warned that President Donald Trump’s proposed cap on credit card rates could slow economic activity. Criticism of Fed Chair Jerome Powell added to market caution. The S&P 500 fell 0.2%, Dow Jones dropped 0.8%, and Nasdaq eased slightly.

Asian markets showed mixed trends early Wednesday. China’s CSI 300 rose 0.6%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.3%, while South Korea’s KOSPI declined modestly. Japan’s Nikkei jumped 1.4%, boosted by expectations of a possible snap election.

Commodities rise

Geopolitical tensions lifted commodities. Brent crude surged over 2% to $65.47 a barrel on potential Iranian supply disruptions. Spot gold also edged higher, trading near elevated levels following recent record highs.