Indices edge lower in early trade; breadth negative
At 09:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, declined 173.03 points or 0.21% to 82,007.44. The Nifty 50 index lost 6.85 points or 0.04% to 25,222.65.
The broader market underperformed the frontline indices. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index declined 0.23% and the S&P BSE Small-Cap index shed 0.33%.
The market breadth was negative. On the BSE, 1,371 shares rose and 1,720 shares fell. A total of 159 shares were unchanged.
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 2,938.33 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 3,665.69 crore in the Indian equity market on 20 January 2026, provisional data showed.
Stocks in Spotlight:
AU Small Finance Bank (SFB) rose 1.52% after the company reported a 26.34% jump in standalone net profit to Rs 667.66 crore in Q3 FY26, compared with Rs 528.45 crore in Q3 FY25. Total income increased 15.20% year on year (YoY) to Rs 5,451.26 crore in Q3 FY26, as against Rs 4,731.89 crore in Q3 FY25.
Persistent Systems shed 0.12%. The company reported a 6.79% decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 439.4 crore despite a 5.52% increase in revenue from operations to Rs 3778.20 crore in Q3 FY26 over Q2 FY26. On a year-on-year basis, the companys consolidated net profit and revenue from operations jumped 17.82% and 23.38%, respectively, in Q3 FY26.
Vikram Solar declined 2.05%. The company reported a sharp 405.47% jump in consolidated net profit to Rs 96.14 crore on 7.79% increase in revenue from operations to Rs 1,105.95 crore in Q3 FY26 over Q3 FY25.
Numbers to Track:
The yield on India's 10-year benchmark federal paper rose 0.04% to 6.676 compared with the previous session close of 6.673.
In the foreign exchange market, the rupee edged lower against the dollar. The partially convertible rupee was hovering at 91.1975 compared with its close of 90.9700 during the previous trading session.
MCX Gold futures for 5 February 2025 settlement rose 2.54% to Rs 154,358.
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the greenback's value against a basket of currencies, was up 0.04% to 98.60.
The United States 10-year bond yield shed 0.28% to 4.283.
In the commodities market, Brent crude for March 2026 settlement shed 74 cents or 1.14% to $64.18 a barrel.
Global Markets:
The Asian market edged lower on Wednesday, while gold jumped to a record high level after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened fresh tariffs on countries resisting the transfer of Greenland to the United States.
Spot gold prices rose over 1% to an all-time high of $4,813 per ounce as investors rushed into safe haven assets.
On Saturday, Trump said that exports from eight European countries would face tariffs of 10% from Feb. 1, rising to 25% by June 1 if talks fail to deliver U.S. control of mineral-rich Greenland.
He also threatened to slap 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne, following reports that President Emmanuel Macron was unwilling to join his proposed Board of Peace.
Trump further criticized the U.K., calling its plan to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, which is home to a joint U.K.-U.S. military base, to Mauritius an act of great stupidity, citing the move as further justification for acquiring Greenland on national security grounds.
European leaders have labeled President Donald Trumps latest tariff threats unacceptable and are reportedly weighing retaliatory measures.
France is said to be urging the European Union to deploy its strongest economic response tool, the so-called Anti-Coercion Instrument.
Overnight in the U.S., the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 870.74 points, or 1.76%, to end the session at 48,488.59. The S&P 500 dipped 2.06% to settle at 6,796.86. The Nasdaq Composite slid 2.39%, closing at 22,954.32.
It was the worst session since October for all three major averages. U.S. Treasury yields spiked and the U.S. dollar declined as Trumps threat caused a flight from U.S. assets.
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