Markets Open Weak; Sensex Slips 100 pts, Nifty Dips Below 25,500 Despite HUL Gains

Sensex, Nifty Open Lower Amid Global Cues; HUL, Asian Paints Buck Trend.

Benchmark indices opened on a weak note Monday, mirroring cautious global sentiment following fresh tariff remarks from US President Donald Trump. Investor mood also remained subdued ahead of the July 9 US-India trade deadline and the fallout from SEBI’s report on Jane Street.

As of 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. The possibility of an interim US-India trade deal before the tariff deadline could lend support if it materialises,” said Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services. “Meanwhile, SEBI’s regulatory action against Jane Street may weigh on brokerages and exchanges due to its impact on derivatives volume.”

HUL Gains, Broader Market Lags

Hindustan Unilever led the gainers with a 1.69% rise, followed by Asian Paints (0.83%), NTPC (0.67%), Bajaj Finserv (0.65%), and Reliance (0.57%).

On the flip side, Bharat Electronics was the biggest laggard, falling 2.20%. Eicher Motors shed 1.32%, Tech Mahindra 1.14%, Maruti Suzuki 0.90%, and HCL Technologies 0.87%.

Mid- and small-cap indices mirrored the broader weakness. The Nifty Midcap100 slipped 0.26%, while the Nifty Smallcap shed 0.28%. Market volatility spiked, with India VIX rising 2.03%.

Sectoral Snapshot: FMCG Leads, Media and Pharma Lag

Sectoral performance was mixed, with Nifty FMCG gaining 0.90%, supported by strength in HUL and other consumer stocks. Nifty Oil & Gas (0.23%), Consumer Durables (0.17%), and PSU Bank (0.05%) also opened in the green.

However, most sectors traded in the red. Nifty Media fell 1.23%, Pharma and Metal declined 0.48% and 0.47% respectively, while IT, Healthcare, Auto, Financial Services, and Realty posted mild losses.

Vijayakumar added that the long-term outlook remains intact despite short-term headwinds. “These dips offer opportunities for long-term investors to accumulate quality largecaps, especially ahead of a modest Q1 earnings season.”