Sensex Ends At 72,480.29 And Nifty At 22,620.45, Rising Crude Extends Market Losses To Third Session

Mumbai: Indian stock markets ended lower for a third consecutive session on Wednesday, September 30, as rising crude oil prices and weak global cues kept investors cautious. Fading expectations of progress in US–Iran talks added to concerns over the economic outlook.

The Sensex fell 48.78 points, or 0.07 per cent, to 72,480.29. The Nifty 50 declined 95.75 points, or 0.42 per cent, to close at 22,620.45.

Crude Oil Weighs On Sentiment

A rebound in crude prices renewed worries about inflation, corporate earnings and economic growth, according to market experts.

Analysts said investors were likely to remain selective, favouring strong companies with resilient earnings until the macroeconomic outlook becomes clearer.

The cautious mood left benchmark indices under pressure despite buying interest in some sectors and pockets of the broader market.

Nifty Support And Resistance Levels

Technical analysts identified 22,600–22,550 as Nifty’s support zone. A sustained fall below 22,500 could bring the 22,300 level into focus.

Immediate resistance was placed at 22,800, with analysts describing the closing technical setup as weak.

Options data showed Call open interest of around 17.11 crore, compared with Put open interest of approximately 10.96 crore.

Call positioning was concentrated around the 22,700–23,000 strikes, with the highest Call open interest at 23,000. Analysts said this positioning pointed to continued overhead resistance for the index.

Healthcare And Pharma Stocks Retreat

Healthcare and pharmaceutical counters faced selling pressure. Apollo Hospitals Enterprise, Max Healthcare Institute and BSE were among the leading Nifty losers.

Nifty Healthcare, Nifty Pharma, Nifty Consumer Durables and Nifty Metal ranked among the session’s weakest sectoral performers.

Meanwhile, Nifty Realty, Nifty Private Bank and Nifty Media finished higher, supported by buying in individual stocks.

Midcap And Smallcap Indices Gain

Broader market indices held up better than the benchmarks. The Nifty MidCap 100 edged higher by 0.02 per cent, while the Nifty SmallCap index gained 0.27 per cent.

The modest advances highlighted uneven performance across the Indian equity market.