Snapping a two-day rally, benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty closed with losses on Friday (November 21, 2025), mainly due to weak global trends and low expectations of a rate cut by the US Federal Reserve in December.
The 30-share BSE Sensex closed at 85,231.92, down 400.76 points or 0.47%. During the day, it fell 444.84 points or 0.51% to 85,187.84.
The 50-share NSE Nifty fell 124 points or 0.47% to 26,068.15. The index was trading above 26,000, up more than 1% or 282 points in the last two sessions.
Among the Sensex companies, Tata Steel, HCL Tech, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, Bharat Electronics and Eternal were the major laggards.
However, Maruti, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and ITC were among the gainers.
Better-than-expected US non-farm payrolls data dampened expectations of a rate cut by the US Federal Reserve in December, analysts said. Concerns about a bubble in AI-related stocks also weakened investor sentiment in global markets.
Asian markets closed with heavy losses. South Korea’s Kospi fell 3.79%, Shanghai’s SSE Composite index fell 2.45%, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index fell 2.40%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell 2.38%.
European markets were trading in the red. US markets closed in negative territory on Thursday (November 20). The Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.15%, the S&P 500 lost 1.56% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.84%.
Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Ltd. said, “Indian markets turned volatile and closed lower, mirroring the broader drawdown seen in Asian stock markets after better-than-expected US non-farm payrolls data dampened expectations of a rate cut in December. Profit-booking after a brief two-day rally added to the cautious tone, sending all major indices into the red, with mid- and smallcaps facing a sharp correction.”
BSE smallcap and midcap indices declined by 1.30% each.
All regional indices closed with losses. Metals fell 2.35%, followed by realty (1.89%), capital goods (1.79%), commodities (1.46%) and industrials (1.43%).
A total of 2,898 shares declined on the BSE, while 1,278 shares advanced and 162 shares remained unchanged.
On the weekly front, the BSE benchmark jumped 669.14 points or 0.79% and the Nifty was up 158.1 points or 0.61%.
According to exchange data, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought equities worth ₹283.65 crore on Thursday (November 20). Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) also bought shares worth ₹824.46 crore.
Global oil benchmark Brent crude fell 1.51% to $62.42 a barrel.
On Thursday (November 20), the Sensex closed at 85,632.68, up 446.21 points or 0.52%. During the day, it rose 615.23 points or 0.72% to hit a 52-week high of 85,801.70. During the day Nifty also touched its 52-week high of 26,246.65 before closing at 26,192.15, showing a gain of 139.50 points or 0.54%.
published – November 21, 2025 04:52 PM IST
