Indian equity benchmarks ended lower in late afternoon trade on Thursday, weighed down by selling pressure in banking and financial stocks.
The Nifty 50 closed at 25,320.65, down 98.25 points or 0.39%, after moving between 25,370.70 and 25,213.65 during the session. The index opened weaker at 25,247.55 compared with its previous close of 25,418.90.
The Sensex also ended in the red, settling at 82,269.78, down 296.59 points or 0.36%. The 30-share index touched an intraday high of 82,430.82 and a low of 81,941.03.
Banking stocks underperformed, with the Nifty Bank index falling 347.40 points or 0.58% to close at 59,610.45, while the BSE Bankex declined 384.74 points or 0.57% to 67,069.05. The Nifty Financial Services index slipped 0.65% to end at 27,330.85.
Broader markets also witnessed mild pressure, as the Nifty Midcap Select closed 0.18% lower at 13,400.05.
Meanwhile, market volatility ticked higher, with India VIX rising 2.02% to 13.64, indicating increased near-term uncertainty among traders.
Overall, the market mood remained cautious, with investors trimming positions amid sector-specific selling and lack of strong global cues.
