Mumbai, Dec 10 (IANS): Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty slipped on Wednesday as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s policy announcement scheduled later in the day.
The Sensex declined 275.01 points, or 0.32 per cent, to close at 84,391.27, while the Nifty dropped 81.65 points, or 0.32 per cent, to end at 25,758. Analysts noted that Nifty continues to face strong resistance in the 25,940–26,050 range, keeping the market largely range-bound. They said a breakout above 26,000 is crucial to revive bullish momentum, while a sustained fall below 25,700 could push the index toward 25,600–25,500 amid rising volatility.
Bank Nifty also finished marginally lower, signalling a pause rather than a reversal in its recent uptrend. After touching highs near 59,440 and lows of 58,850, it closed at 58,990, down 0.4 per cent. Among Sensex constituents, Tata Steel, Sun Pharma and ITC were the top gainers, while Eternal, Trent and Bharti Airtel contributed significantly to the decline.
Broader markets mirrored the weak sentiment as the Nifty MidCap 100 fell 1.12 per cent and the SmallCap 100 lost 0.90 per cent. Sectorally, consumer durables saw the steepest drop at 1.72 per cent, followed by IT and PSU banks. In contrast, metal and media stocks ended in positive territory. Experts said all eyes are now on the US Fed, where a 25-bps rate cut is expected, though mixed economic cues may dampen expectations for further easing in 2026.
