Mumbai, July 22: Indian equity markets ended sharply lower on Wednesday, with the Sensex falling 715 points and the Nifty closing below the 24,000 mark, as heavy selling in realty and public sector banking stocks dampened investor sentiment.
The decline was driven by broad-based weakness across key sectors, with realty and PSU bank stocks emerging as the biggest laggards during the trading session. The sharp fall reflected cautious market sentiment amid concerns over global economic developments and sector-specific pressures.
Market participants remained watchful of domestic and international cues, including movements in global markets, commodity prices, and expectations surrounding monetary policy, which influenced trading activity.
Analysts said profit booking in rate-sensitive sectors and risk-averse investor sentiment contributed to the market decline, even as select defensive stocks offered limited support.
Despite the day's losses, market experts noted that investors continue to closely monitor macroeconomic indicators, corporate earnings, and global developments for clearer direction in the coming sessions.
The benchmark indices ended the session under pressure, highlighting continued volatility in the equity markets as investors assess evolving economic and financial conditions.