Stock markets close lower on selling in IT stocks, fresh foreign fund outflows

Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty settled lower on Thursday (July 17, 2025) following selling in IT shares and investors remaining in a wait-and-watch mode ahead of the outcome of the U.S.-India trade talks.

The 30-share BSE Sensex dropped 375.24 points or 0.45% to settle at 82,259.24. During the day, it fell by 415.21 points or 0.50% to 82,219.27.

The 50-share NSE Nifty closed lower by 100.60 points or 0.40% to 25,111.45.

Fresh foreign fund outflows and subdued quarterly earnings dented investors’ sentiment, experts said.

Among Sensex firms, Tech Mahindra declined nearly 3% after its June quarter earnings failed to cheer investors. IT services firm Tech Mahindra reported a nearly 34% year-on-year increase in consolidated net profit to ₹1,140.6 crore for the quarter ending June 30, 2025, on the back of growth in communications and financial services verticals.

Infosys, HCL Tech, Eternal, Larsen & Toubro, Tata Consultancy Services and Axis Bank were also among the laggards. However, Tata Steel, Trent, Titan and Tata Motors were among the gainers.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth ₹1,858.15 crore on Wednesday (July 16, 2025), according to exchange data.

“Indian equity benchmarks ended marginally lower as investors exercised caution amid subdued Q1 earnings announcements, particularly in the technology and banking sectors. Market participants remained sidelined due to elevated valuations of large-cap stocks and FII outflows owing to the uncertainty regarding US-India trade deal; however, any positive developments could amplify market sentiment,” Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said.

In Asian markets, South Korea’s Kospi, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index and Shanghai’s SSE Composite index settled in the positive territory while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng ended lower.

European markets were trading higher. The U.S. markets ended higher on Wednesday (July 16, 2025).

Global oil benchmark Brent crude dipped 0.06% to $68.49 a barrel.

On Wednesday (July 16, 2025), the Sensex edged up 63.57 points or 0.08% to settle at 82,634.48. The Nifty ended 16.25 points or 0.06% higher at 25,212.05.