Indian Markets Settle in Red for Seventh Consecutive Day, Investors Lose Over Rs.15 Lakh Crore

Digital Desk

On Monday, September 29, 2025, the Indian stock market closed flat but in the negative territory, extending its losing streak to seven consecutive sessions. Early gains were reversed as key benchmark indices succumbed to selling pressure, particularly in IT stocks following recent U.S. policy announcements.

The Sensex settled at 80,364.94 points, registering a loss of 61.52 points or 0.08%. The Nifty ended the day on a flattish note at 24,634.90 points. The market has remained under pressure, with investors seeing wealth erosion of over Rs.15 lakh crore since the U.S. announced a hike in H-1B visa fees.

Key Sectoral and Stock Performances

Sector-wise, several indices faced selling pressure. Nifty Media emerged as the highest loser, while auto and consumer durables sectors also remained under stress .

Among major Sensex constituents, stocks of Maruti, Axis Bank, L&T, ICICI Bank, Bharti Airtel, and Adani Ports were among the prominent losers that dragged down the index.

The H-1B Visa Fee Impact

The broader market weakness has been significantly influenced by the recent announcement from the U.S. Since U.S. President Donald Trump announced a fee hike to $100,000 for H-1B visas, the Sensex has cracked over 2,200 points.

The gauge for India's crucial IT sector, Nifty IT, has shed nearly 8% since the surge in charges was announced, reflecting investor concerns over the impact on Indian IT companies.

Global Market Context and Other Developments

In contrast to the Indian markets, Asian shares traded mostly higher. Japan's Nikkei climbed 1.02% to 44,892, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 1.5%.- On September 26, U.S. markets also closed higher, with the Dow Jones gaining 0.65%.

In primary market activity, transformer manufacturing company Atlanta Electricals listed at a 14% premium today. Its stock listed at Rs.858.10 on the BSE. Furthermore, the IPOs of Glotis Limited, Fabtech Technologies Limited, and Om Freight Forwarders Limited opened for public subscription today.

Foreign Investor Activity

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) remained net sellers in September. On September 26, they sold equities worth Rs.5,687.58 crore. This continues a trend from the previous months, having offloaded Indian equities worth Rs.34,993 crore in August and Rs.17,741 crore in July. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs), however, lapped up shares worth Rs.5,843.21 crore on September 26, providing some support to the markets.