30 March,2026 05:54 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Representational image. File pic
Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty on Monday ended the last trading session of the 2025-26 fiscal year sharply lower amid the global turmoil. As reported by news agency PTI, weak trends in Asian markets and unabated foreign fund outflows also added to the bearish trend in domestic equities.
Continuing the downward trajectory from Friday, the 30-share BSE Sensex tumbled 1,635.67 points, or 2.22 per cent, to settle at 71,947.55. On Monday, Sensex plunged 1,809.09 points, or 2.45 per cent, to 71,774.13. On the other hand, the 50-share NSE Nifty slumped 488.20 points or 2.14 per cent to end at 22,331.40.
From the 30-Sensex firms, Bajaj Finance, State Bank of India, InterGlobe Aviation, Bajaj Finserv, Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank were among the biggest laggards. Whereas Tech Mahindra and Power Grid were among the top gainers.
In the 2025-26 financial year, the BSE benchmark plunged 5,467.37 points, or 7 per cent, and the Nifty dropped 1,187.95 points, or 5 per cent.
In Asian markets, South Korea's benchmark Kospi and Japan's Nikkei 225 index plunged nearly 3 per cent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index also settled lower, while Shanghai's SSE Composite index ended in positive territory. Whereas the markets in Europe were trading marginally higher.
The US market ended significantly lower on Friday. The Nasdaq Composite index tanked 2.15 per cent, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.73 per cent and the S&P 500 declined by 1.67 per cent.
Hariprasad K, Research Analyst and Founder, Livelong Wealth, while expressing his views on the market indices, said, "Indian equities extended their decline, with benchmark indices falling over 2 per cent, underscoring a deepening sell-off sentiment driven by persistent global uncertainties and rising crude oil prices," as cited by PTI.
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 4,367.30 crore on Friday, according to exchange data. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs), however, bought stocks worth Rs 3,566.15 crore.
Foreign investors have pulled out Rs 1.14 lakh crore (about USD 12.3 billion) from domestic equities in March, making it the worst monthly outflow, weighed down by escalating tensions in West Asia, a weakening rupee and concerns over the impact of elevated crude oil prices on India's growth.
(With inputs from PTI)
