The Indian financial markets started the trading week on a disappointing note on Monday, August 31, 2026, as domestic equities faced heavy selling pressure. A sharp uptick in international crude oil prices weighed heavily on investor sentiment, causing both the benchmark indices to slide significantly by the closing bell. Right from the opening bell, the stock market struggled to find stable ground, remaining deep in the negative territory throughout the session. Major market heavyweights, including Adani Ports, ITC, Bharti Airtel, and HDFC Bank, encountered significant losses, compounding the downbeat tone of the market.
Benchmarks End in the Red
The barometer BSE Sensex dropped by 307.24 points, which represents a decline of 0.40 percent, settling at 76,957.27. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty 50 index lost 95.25 points or 0.39 percent of its value, finishing the daily trade at 24,080.40. Market participants observed intense volatility, driven primarily by external global factors such as the surging energy costs that threaten to impact import bills and stoke domestic inflation concerns.
How the Stocks Fared on Monday
The bearish trend was widespread across both indices. Within the 30-share BSE Sensex pack, only 10 companies managed to buck the market trend and end the day with gains, while the remaining 20 firms ended in negative territory. On the National Stock Exchange, the scenario was equally subdued. Among the Nifty 50 constituents, only 20 stocks wrapped up the session in the green, whereas 30 companies faced downward pressure and ended in the red.
Top Gainers and Losers
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited experienced the worst blow of the day, with its shares plunging by 4.11 percent to lead the losers' chart on the Sensex. Conversely, Sun Pharma, a prominent pharmaceutical major, emerged as the top performer, registering a growth of 1.87 percent by the end of the session.
Other notable gainers who managed to survive the market slide included ICICI Bank, which rose by 1.74 percent, and Axis Bank, which advanced by 1.50 percent. State Bank of India (SBI) also recorded a positive movement of 1.33 percent, followed closely by Bajaj Finserv with a rise of 1.02 percent. Tech major TCS closed 0.85 percent higher, while Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) gained 0.79 percent. Automaker Maruti Suzuki ended 0.71 percent up, while energy heavyweight Reliance Industries finished with a marginal gain of 0.05 percent. Low-cost carrier IndiGo also posted a flat but positive close, inching up by 0.03 percent.
In contrast, many heavyweights suffered severe losses. ITC shares fell by 3.67 percent, followed by telecom giant Bharti Airtel, which dropped 2.76 percent. HDFC Bank slipped 1.53 percent, while software major Infosys registered a 1.50 percent decline. Kotak Mahindra Bank dropped 1.30 percent, and Tata Steel fell by 1.18 percent. NTPC closed down by 1.15 percent, while Bajaj Finance lost 1.14 percent. Power Grid declined by 1.05 percent, Asian Paints slipped by 0.96 percent, and Titan recorded a loss of 0.95 percent. Fast-moving consumer goods giant Hindustan Unilever ended 0.77 percent lower, while UltraTech Cement went down by 0.69 percent. Both Tech Mahindra and Trent shed 0.66 percent, HCL Tech declined by 0.57 percent, and Mahindra & Mahindra dropped by 0.34 percent. Engineering conglomerate L&T lost 0.27 percent, and Eternal ended marginally lower by 0.02 percent.
Semiconductor Sector Update
Amidst the market volatility, the central government made a significant policy announcement by notifying the Semicon 2.0 program, which has an outlay of Rs 1.27 lakh crore. This comprehensive initiative is designed to offer financial support across the entire semiconductor value chain, aiming to bolster domestic manufacturing and positioning the country as a global hub for electronics.
