Sensex Snaps Winning Streak as IT Selloff and Heavyweights Drag Markets

The Indian equity markets faced a sharp reversal on Friday as the BSE Sensex and Nifty50 ended a five-session winning streak. A combination of a massive selloff in technology stocks and weakness in heavyweights like HDFC Bank and Reliance Industries pushed the indices lower despite Nifty50 managing to stay above the 24,000 mark.

IT Sector Crashes Following Accenture's Weak Guidance

The primary driver behind the market decline was a heavy selloff in the technology sector. The Nifty IT index plummeted by over 6%, hitting its lowest level since April 2023. This contagion was triggered by a sharp 11% drop in Accenture's stock on Wall Street, where the consulting giant revised its FY26 revenue growth forecast downward to 3-4% from its previous guidance.

This revision has sparked fears among Indian investors that global corporate spending on discretionary IT consulting and digital transformation is slowing down. Leading Indian IT firms saw significant losses:

  • Infosys: The biggest loser, sliding nearly 9% (and 6.69% at close).
  • TCS: Dropped 3.53%.
  • HCLTech: Declined 2.74%.
  • Tech Mahindra: Ended 2.45% lower.

Heavyweights HDFC Bank and Reliance Weigh on Indices

While IT stocks led the charge, the broader indices were further dragged down by index heavyweights. The BSE Sensex fell by 607.08 points, or 0.78%, to settle at 76,802.90, with intraday volatility seeing it drop as much as 940 points.

HDFC Bank shares fell 2.25% to close at Rs 781. The decline was largely attributed to the stock turning ex-dividend for a final dividend of Rs 13 per share. Additionally, the bank noted that the RBI has approved a three-month tenure extension for Keki Mistry as interim part-time chairman.

Reliance Industries (RIL) also contributed to the downward pressure, closing at Rs 1,311.50, down 1.25%. The decline comes at a pivotal moment for the conglomerate, as Chairman Mukesh Ambani recently announced the upcoming filing of the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) for the Reliance Jio Platforms IPO with SEBI.

Market Sentiment Impacted by Geopolitical Concerns

Beyond sectoral weakness, fresh geopolitical concerns added a layer of caution to the trading sentiment. The market's sudden reversal follows a highly bullish period; over the preceding five trading days, the Sensex had gained 4.84% (3,577.43 points) and the Nifty had climbed 4.34% (1,006.4 points). The Friday selloff serves as a significant correction after this rapid rally, reflecting investor sensitivity to both global macroeconomic signals and domestic heavyweight movements.

Key Takeaways

  • IT Sector Volatility: Global concerns over reduced IT spending, triggered by Accenture's lowered growth outlook, caused the Nifty IT index to hit its weakest level in over three years.
  • Heavyweight Drag: The market decline was compounded by losses in HDFC Bank (due to ex-dividend adjustments) and Reliance Industries.
  • End of Rally: The selloff snapped a five-day winning streak, marking a sharp reversal after the Sensex had gained nearly 5% in the previous week.