Indian Stock Market Suffers Major Selloff on October 22
On Tuesday, October 22, the Indian stock market faced a strong selloff, leading to significant declines in major indices. The Sensex dropped 931 points, or 1.15%, to close at 80,220.72, while the Nifty 50 fell by 309 points, or 1.25%, ending at 24,472.10.
Midcap and smallcap stocks were hit the hardest, with the BSE Midcap index plunging by 2.52% and the Smallcap index crashing by 3.81%. This selloff resulted in a significant decrease in overall market capitalization, which dropped from ₹453.7 lakh crore to ₹444.7 lakh crore, wiping out nearly ₹9 lakh crore in a single session.
Only three stocks in the Nifty 50, ICICI Bank (up 0.74%), Nestle (up 0.10%), and Infosys (up 0.04%), managed to close in positive territory. Sector-wise, Nifty PSU Bank (down 4.18%), Realty (down 3.38%), and Metal (down 3%) saw the largest declines. Other sectors like Auto, Media, Consumer Durables, and Oil and Gas also recorded losses of over 2%.
Why did the Market Crash?
Experts attribute this market downturn to several factors, including escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, uncertainty surrounding the upcoming US presidential election, and continued selling by foreign portfolio investors (FPIs). Additionally, unimpressive corporate earnings for the September quarter and high stock market valuations have added to the pressure.
Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, particularly with the involvement of Hezbollah in attacks on Israeli bases, have kept investors cautious. The close fight in the US presidential election is also causing global market jitters, with the outcome potentially impacting India-US relations.
The Indian stock market's stretched valuations, with the Nifty 50's price-to-earnings (PE) ratio above its two-year average, have prompted profit booking. FPIs have aggressively sold Indian equities, withdrawing ₹82,479 crore in October alone, as investors shift to the Chinese market, which currently offers more attractive valuations.
Lastly, the Q2 earnings for Indian companies have been underwhelming, with corporate recovery rates below expectations, further dampening market sentiment.
Source: Live Mint
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