Nifty Faces Bearish Pressure as Key Supports Break, Analysts Eye 25,300 Levels

2 min read     Updated on 12 Jan 2026, 06:24 AM
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Reviewed by
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Overview

Nifty has broken key technical supports including the 20-day moving average at 26,062 and 50-day EMA at 25,902.7, marking the first such breach in over three months. Analysts warn of downside risks toward 25,300-25,350 levels, with heightened volatility and persistent selling pressure indicating continued weakness. Market experts recommend sell-on-rise strategies until the index decisively breaks above 26,100 resistance to restore bullish confidence.

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*this image is generated using AI for illustrative purposes only.

The Nifty has entered a challenging phase, breaking below key technical supports and signaling potential further weakness ahead. After breaching its ascending trendline and closing under critical moving averages, the index faces downside risks that could extend toward the 25,300-25,350 zone.

Technical Breakdown Signals Weakness

The index has broken several crucial technical levels that analysts are closely monitoring:

Technical Level Value Status
20-day Moving Average 26,062 Broken
40-day Moving Average 25,970 Broken
50-day EMA 25,902.7 Broken
Put-Call Ratio 0.51 Bearish Signal

Somil Mehta, Head of Alternate Research at Mirae Asset Sharekhan, notes that momentum indicators have flashed a negative crossover, confirming the short-term weakness. The breach of the 50-day EMA marks the first such occurrence in over three months, representing a significant bearish shift in trend.

Market Structure Deteriorates

Rupak De, Senior Technical Analyst at LKP Securities, highlights that the index has slipped below its rising trendline, indicating rising bearish sentiment across the market. The India VIX has spiked sharply, moving above its 50-day EMA at 10.6, reflecting heightened investor anxiety and increased volatility expectations.

Dhupesh Dhameja, Research Analyst at Samco Securities, points out that the market structure has weakened significantly. The index has closed below the previous day's high for five straight sessions, with every intraday recovery facing swift selling pressure.

Critical Support and Resistance Zones

Analysts have identified key levels that will determine the index's near-term direction:

Zone Type Level Range Significance
Immediate Support 25,600 Make-or-break zone with EMA convergence
Downside Target 25,300-25,350 Primary bearish objective
Resistance 25,900-26,100 Critical breakout level for bullish revival
Strong Resistance 26,100+ Decisive level for sentiment stabilization

The 25,600 level represents a crucial make-or-break zone where the 20-week EMA and 100-day EMA converge. A sustained breach of this level could accelerate the decline toward 25,350.

Trading Strategies and Recommendations

Given the current technical setup, analysts recommend adopting a cautious approach:

Nifty Strategy:

  • Sell on bounce toward 26,000 with targets of 25,800 and 25,300
  • Stop loss at 26,200
  • Avoid fresh long positions until DEMA crossover reversal

Bank Nifty Approach:

  • Dark cloud cover pattern formed on weekly chart
  • Sell below 59,150 targeting 58,800
  • Stop loss above 59,300

Options Strategy: For options traders, a bear call spread strategy is recommended by selling the 25,500 CE and buying the 25,750 CE of the January 20 expiry to benefit from overhead resistance with limited risk.

Individual Stock Recommendations

Analysts have identified specific trading opportunities in individual stocks:

Bearish Picks:

  • LIC: Sell at ₹830, target ₹750, stop loss ₹860
  • CAMS: Sell at ₹727, target ₹650, stop loss ₹760
  • Hindustan Zinc: Sell below ₹606, target ₹585, stop loss ₹615

Bullish Opportunities:

  • Emcure Pharmaceuticals: Buy at ₹1,541, target ₹1,660, stop loss ₹1,494
  • The Ramco Cements: Buy at ₹1,093.80, target ₹1,200, stop loss ₹1,035
  • Endurance Technologies: Buy at ₹2,622, target ₹2,810, stop loss ₹2,520

Market Outlook

The consensus among technical analysts suggests that the Nifty remains in a bearish phase with limited upside potential until key resistance levels are reclaimed. The persistent selling on intraday recoveries and elevated volatility indicate that market sentiment is unlikely to stabilize unless the index decisively moves back above the 25,900-26,100 resistance band. Until then, a sell-on-rise strategy appears to be the preferred approach for navigating the current market environment.

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FPI Bearish Bets Hit Record High as Market Faces Volatility Concerns

2 min read     Updated on 12 Jan 2026, 05:33 AM
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Reviewed by
Naman SScanX News Team
Overview

FPIs have increased bearish bets on Nifty futures to a record 186,063 contracts, exceeding the previous high of 174,105 contracts from February last year. Proprietary traders have also increased defensive positioning with 116,680 call option sales and 198,367 put option purchases, signaling expected volatility. The Nifty declined 2.6% to 25,683.30 from its record high of 26,373.20, despite domestic institutional buying of ₹6.17 trillion against FPI selling of ₹1.22 trillion this fiscal year. Better US returns and rupee depreciation to 90.16 per dollar have contributed to FPI negativity.

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*this image is generated using AI for illustrative purposes only.

Foreign portfolio investors have intensified their bearish stance on Indian equity markets, pushing net cumulative shorts on Nifty and Bank Nifty futures to unprecedented levels. According to Rohit Srivastava, founder of analytics firm IndiaCharts, FPI bearish bets reached 186,063 contracts on Friday, surpassing the previous record of 174,105 contracts set on February 24 last year.

Record Bearish Positioning Signals Market Stress

The escalation in bearish positions extends beyond futures markets, with proprietary traders—brokers trading for themselves—significantly increasing their defensive positioning. These traders raised cumulative net sales of index call options to 116,680 contracts while simultaneously increasing cumulative index put option purchases to 198,367 contracts on Friday.

Position Type: Contracts Market Signal
FPI Net Shorts (Current): 186,063 Bearish sentiment
Previous Record (Feb 24): 174,105 Historical high
Index Call Sales: 116,680 Volatility expectation
Index Put Purchases: 198,367 Downside protection

The combination of increased index futures selling, call option sales, and put option buying indicates both bearish sentiment and expectations of heightened volatility ahead.

Market Performance Amid Institutional Divergence

Despite the bearish positioning, the Nifty has demonstrated resilience through significant domestic institutional support. The benchmark index rallied 21% from its 52-week low of 21,743.65 on April 7 last year to reach a record high of 26,373.20 last Monday. However, sustained FPI selling pressure caused the index to decline 2.6% to 25,683.30 on Friday.

Metric: Value Period
Nifty 52-Week Low: 21,743.65 April 7 last year
Record High: 26,373.20 Last Monday
Friday Close: 25,683.30 Current
Rally Percentage: 21% From April low
Weekly Decline: 2.6% From record high

Options data suggests the market will likely trade within a 1.5% range of 25,500-25,900 through Tuesday, reflecting the current uncertainty.

Institutional Flow Dynamics

The stark contrast between domestic and foreign institutional behavior has become a defining characteristic of the current market cycle. Exchange and depository data reveals domestic institutions have net-purchased shares worth ₹6.17 trillion in the current fiscal year through Friday, while FPIs have sold ₹1.22 trillion worth through Thursday.

Factors Behind FPI Negativity

Several fundamental factors explain the sustained FPI bearishness. Better returns in the US market have made emerging market investments less attractive, with MSCI data showing the MSCI India index generated a gross return of only 4.29% over the year through December 2025, compared to 17.75% for the MSCI US index over the same period.

Currency depreciation has further eroded FPI returns, with the rupee declining 4.73% against the dollar to close at 90.16 on Friday. This depreciation significantly diminishes dollar-denominated returns for foreign investors.

Outlook and Structural Changes

Despite the bearish positioning, analysts highlight structural changes in market dynamics that may prevent severe corrections. Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) inflows of approximately ₹30,000 crore monthly through mutual funds provide consistent buying support.

Swarup Mohanty, vice-chairman of Mirae Asset Investment Managers, suggests investors should expect moderated returns compared to the post-pandemic period when the Nifty more than tripled from 7,511.10 on March 24, 2020, to 26,277.35 on September 27, 2024. He anticipates a return to pre-pandemic patterns where the Nifty typically doubled over five to six-year periods, with 2026 potentially favoring midcap outperformance in healthcare, chemicals, and capital market-related sectors.

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