Sensex, Nifty Open Lower Amid Weak Global Cues; FIIs Turn Net Sellers

Benchmark equity indices opened in the red on Thursday as persistent foreign fund outflows and uncertainty over the U.S. Federal Reserve’s future rate action weighed on investor sentiment.

The BSE Sensex slipped 297.96 points to 84,699.17, while the NSE Nifty declined 90.05 points to 25,963.85 in early trade.

Among the laggards were Sun Pharma, Bharti Airtel, Power Grid, ITC, Tata Steel, and Asian Paints. In contrast, Larsen & Toubro, Eternal, Adani Ports, and Maruti managed to stay in the green.

According to exchange data, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth ₹2,540.16 crore on Wednesday, adding pressure on domestic markets.

“FIIs turned net sellers in yesterday’s otherwise positive session. Wall Street’s overnight pause and Powell’s remarks on delaying rate cuts further dampened sentiment,” said Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research), Mehta Ltd.

Globally, Asian markets were trading mixed, with Kospi, Nikkei 225, SSE Composite, and Hang Seng in positive territory. U.S. markets ended on a mixed note overnight.

“The Fed’s 25 bps rate cut was on expected lines, but Powell’s cautious comments limited the upside. Focus now shifts to the upcoming Trump–Xi summit in South Korea,” said V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments.

Meanwhile, Brent crude edged 0.22% lower to $64.78 per barrel.

“While the Fed confirmed its easing stance, Powell’s message that further cuts in 2025 are not guaranteed cooled optimism,” noted Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money.

On Wednesday, the Sensex had gained 368.97 points (0.44%) to close at 84,997.13, and the Nifty rose 117.70 points (0.45%) to 26,053.90.