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Benchmarks trade under pressure in early deals amid weak global cues
Aug-25-2026

Indian equity benchmarks made a negative start on Tuesday amid intensifying geopolitical tensions, primarily due to the fresh US sanctions on Iran. Markets were trading under pressure in early deals, though the decline was uneven across benchmarks. Nifty witnessed relatively higher selling pressure compared with Sensex, indicating divergence in index performance. However, downside remained capped amid foreign fund inflows. On the institutional front, foreign institutional investors turned net buyers on August 24, purchasing equities worth Rs 1,181.66 crore.

The BSE Sensex traded lower with 0.13% cut with selling pressure in almost all the sector indices, except Telecom and Bankex. Similarly, the Nifty 50 traded under pressure with 0.27% cut amid selling pressure in index heavyweight stocks like HCL Technologies and Tech Mahindra. On the sectoral front, IT stocks came under pressure amid reports that the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed a $103,265 fee on H-1B cap-subject petitions. The proposed charge would be levied in addition to existing H-1B fees and has been outlined in a notice of proposed rulemaking issued by DHS.

On the global front, most of the Asian markets were trading lower after President Donald Trump's administration warned countries to cut their business ties with Iran or face secondary sanctions as part of what it billed as an 'economic D-Day'. 

The BSE Sensex is currently trading at 77269.43, down by 99.68 points or 0.13% after trading in a range of 77146.03 and 77390.72. There were 10 stocks advancing against 20 stocks declining on the index.

The only gaining sectoral indices on the BSE were Telecom up by 0.96% and Bankex up by 0.13%, while IT down by 0.63%, Metal down by 0.41%, Power down by 0.27%, Basic Materials down by 0.20% and TECK down by 0.20% were the top losing indices on BSE.

The top gainers on the Sensex were Trent up by 0.52%, Adani Ports & SEZ up by 0.35%, Bharat Electronics up by 0.32%, Eternal up by 0.20% and Titan Company up by 0.16%. On the flip side, HCL Technologies down by 1.07%, Tech Mahindra down by 0.73%, Maruti Suzuki India down by 0.63%, Bajaj Finance down by 0.60% and NTPC down by 0.57% were the top losers.

Meanwhile, with a view to boosting economic ties, the Commerce Ministry said India and Cambodia have completed negotiations for a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) and agreed to sign it at the earliest. The two sides also discussed ways to enhance cooperation in sectors such as agriculture, dyes and pigments, banking and insurance. The issues were discussed during the India-Cambodia Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment (JWGTI) meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The treaty seeks to protect and promote bilateral investments. The two sides also discussed cooperation in agriculture, market access, expanding trade in dyes and pigments, and cooperation in the banking and insurance sectors. The meeting was co-chaired by Amit Verma, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Long Kemvichet, Director General of International Trade, Ministry of Commerce, Cambodia.

The meeting deliberated on ways to diversify and deepen bilateral trade, including through cooperation in traditional medicine, e-governance modules, recognition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia, reconciliation of trade statistics, and sharing information on flagship trade fairs and business delegations. Meanwhile, India received $51 million in foreign direct investment (FDI) from Cambodia between April 2000 and March 2026.

The CNX Nifty is currently trading at 24154.15, down by 64.90 points or 0.27% after trading in a range of 24128.85 and 24198.25. There were 10 stocks advancing against 40 stocks declining on the index.

The top gainers on Nifty were Adani Ports & SEZ up by 0.65%, Trent up by 0.50%, Eternal up by 0.43%, Bharti Airtel up by 0.13% and ICICI Bank up by 0.08%. On the flip side, HCL Technologies down by 1.51%, Hindalco Industries down by 1.09%, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles down by 1.05%, Tech Mahindra down by 1.04% and Asian Paints down by 0.90% were the top losers.

Asian markets were trading mostly in red; Taiwan Weighted lost 378.88 points or 0.85% to 44,383.44, Hang Seng declined 53.33 points or 0.21% to 25,464.00, KOSPI dropped 50.95 points or 0.76% to 6,646.01 and Shanghai Composite was down by 5.63 points or 0.15% to 3,876.38. On the other hand, Nikkei 225 surged 283.91 points or 0.43% to 65,812.00 and Straits Times rose 18.77 points or 0.33% to 5,699.23.
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