Last Updated on February 5, 2026 11:39 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
AMN / BIZ DESK
Indian equity benchmarks snapped their winning streak on Thursday, as investors opted for profit booking following a volatile weekly rally. The BSE Sensex tumbled 503.76 points, or 0.60%, to settle at 83,313.93, while the NSE Nifty dropped 133.20 points, or 0.52%, to close at 25,642.80.
The downturn was characterized by significant selling pressure in small-cap stocks and metal giants. Market breadth favored the bears, with 2,447 stocks declining against 1,737 advances on the BSE. Analysts noted that the Nifty traded in its narrowest range in four sessions (178 points), signaling a “wait-and-watch” phase as the street anticipates the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) policy announcement on Friday.
Sectoral Performance & Key Movers
The Nifty Small-cap 100 was the day’s biggest laggard, plunging 1.29% to 16,983.90, sharply underperforming the frontline indices. Mid-caps followed suit with a 0.28% decline.
| Sector/Category | Performance | Key Notes |
| Metal | 📉 Leading Loser | Dragged down by Hindalco (-3.00%) |
| Banking | 📉 Down 0.29% | Settled at 60,063.65 |
| Small-cap | 📉 Down 1.29% | Worst performing index of the day |
| Top Gainer | 📈 Trent | Surged 2.98% to ₹4,132.00 |
While Hindalco and Bharti Airtel topped the losers’ list, retail major Trent and healthcare giant Max Healthcare managed to buck the trend with steady gains. Steel players like Tata Steel and JSW Steel also showed resilience, gaining over 1% each.
Global Cues & Commodities
The Indian Rupee provided a silver lining, strengthening to approximately 90.30 against the US Dollar, aided by a softening greenback and lower commodity prices.
In the commodities space, WTI crude oil prices plummeted over 2%, falling below $64 per barrel following news of resumed talks between the US and Iran. Meanwhile, gold and silver remained choppy, slipping below $4,800 and $75 per ounce, respectively, after a brief recovery earlier in the week.
The Road Ahead
All eyes are now fixed on the RBI. Experts believe the central bank’s stance on liquidity will dictate the market’s next leg. Technical analysts suggest maintaining a “buy-on-dips” strategy as long as the Nifty stays above the 25,400 support level, with a potential target of 26,000.
RBI पॉलिसी से पहले बाजार में सुस्ती: सेंसेक्स 504 अंक टूटा, स्मॉलकैप में भारी बिकवाली