Indian benchmark indices ended marginally lower on Tuesday, with market sentiment weighed down by weekly F&O expiry-related volatility and geopolitical concerns. The decline came as investors remained cautious ahead of key earnings announcements and amid renewed trade tensions.

Market Performance Overview

The Indian Stock Market witnessed a subdued trading session with both major indices closing in negative territory. Geopolitical concerns intensified after US President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on countries trading with Iran, raising potential risks for India's exports and strategic projects such as the Chabahar Port.

The Nifty closed below the 25,750 mark, while the broader market showed mixed performance with the Smallcap index being the sole outperformer among major indices.

Post-Market Earnings Results

Several companies reported their Q3 earnings after market hours, showing mixed results across different sectors.

ICICI Lombard Q3 Performance

Tata Elxsi Q3 Performance (QoQ)

Tata Elxsi reported an exceptional item of ₹96.00 crore as a one-time impact of New Labour Codes, which affected the net profit performance.

Just Dial Q3 Performance (QoQ)

Key Corporate Developments

Several significant corporate announcements and developments were reported across various sectors:

Major Business Developments:

• Endurance Tech became eligible to receive incentives worth ₹859.00 crore, an increase of ₹252.00 crore from ₹606.00 crore earlier
• Interarch Building Solutions received a ₹130.00 crore order to manufacture pre-engineered steel building systems
• Satin Creditcare allotted 80,000 NCDs worth ₹80.00 crore
• Firstsource Solutions acquired 100% stake in Telemedik for consideration up to USD 3.00 million

Strategic Partnerships and Expansions:

• Thomas Cook India signed an MoU with Gujarat Government to boost domestic tourism
• NLC India entered into a pact with Gujarat Government to develop large-scale Renewable Energy Projects
• Anand Rathi International Ventures to enter Investment and Merchant Banking business in GIFT City

Market Outlook and Technical Indicators

The F&O segment showed mixed signals with Nifty January futures declining 0.37% to 25,780 at a premium of 48 points. Nifty January futures open interest increased by 1.27%. For Nifty Options on January 20, maximum Call open interest was observed at 26,000 while maximum Put open interest stood at 24,500.

The Indian rupee weakened 4 paise against the US Dollar to close at 90.21, reflecting broader market concerns about geopolitical developments and their potential impact on trade relationships.

Indian equity markets witnessed another volatile session on January 12, closing lower as the Nifty slipped below the 25,750 mark amid widespread selling pressure across key sectors. Despite opening on a strong note following positive global cues and extending the previous session's recovery, domestic benchmarks failed to sustain early gains and remained largely rangebound throughout the trading day.

Market Performance Overview

The benchmark indices closed with modest losses, reflecting the ongoing market uncertainty. Key market performance metrics showed:

The broader market indices displayed mixed performance, with the BSE Midcap index declining 0.2 percent while the Smallcap index managed to gain 0.5 percent, indicating selective buying interest in smaller companies.

Top Gainers and Losers

The session witnessed significant divergence among individual stocks, with ONGC emerging as the biggest gainer and Trent facing the steepest decline:

Among Nifty constituents, major losers included Trent, L&T, Dr Reddy's Labs, Reliance Industries, and Interglobe Aviation. On the positive side, gainers comprised ONGC, Tech Mahindra, Eternal, ICICI Bank, and Hindalco Industries.

Sectoral Performance Analysis

Sectoral performance remained mixed, with certain segments showing resilience while others faced selling pressure:

Outperforming Sectors:

• Nifty PSU Bank: +0.78% (best performing sector)
• IT sector: positive territory
• Media sector: ended in green
• Metal sector: closed higher

Underperforming Sectors:

• Nifty Infra: -1.14% (worst performing sector)
• FMCG: declined 0.3-0.5%
• Capital goods: fell 0.3-0.5%
• Consumer durables: dropped 0.3-0.5%
• Pharma: declined 0.3-0.5%
• Realty: fell 0.3-0.5%

Individual Stock Movements

Several stocks witnessed notable movements based on corporate developments and earnings results. Sical Logistics shares jumped 5% following a Letter of Award from South Eastern Coalfields, while L&T shares declined 3% despite securing an order win. GTPL Hathway share price shed 8% despite reporting better Q3 earnings, and VA Tech shares added 1% on a large order win from BPCL.

Market Weakness Indicators

The session highlighted underlying market weakness, with more than 150 stocks hitting 52-week lows. Notable companies reaching yearly lows included Dixon Technologies, Cohance Life, Trent, Godrej Properties, BASF, Whirlpool, ITC, Happiest Minds, IRCTC, Cera Sanitaryware, and SignatureGlobal India, among others. This broad-based decline across various sectors and market capitalizations suggests continued investor caution and profit-booking activities in the current market environment.