Overview:

• Sensex was down 332 points and Nifty dipped 98 points in stock market today on profit booking. 

• Auto and healthcare stocks gained the most, while metal, banking, and financial stocks faced selling pressure.

• The strong inflow of FII and DII within the capital market levelled out the plunge, indicating long-term confidence in the overall market. 

Indian stock market today showed bearish sentiments after a period of profit booking across sectors. Sensex settled at 85,300.14, down 332.54 points or 0.39 %. Nifty 50 was at 26,093.45 with a dip of 98.70 points or 0.38 %. Banking stocks traded under high pressure as Nifty Bank index decreased 0.68 % to 58,942.05.

IT sector also showed weakness as Nifty IT index slipped 100.15 points to 36,943.15. The sell-off was steeper for small-cap stocks, with BSE Smallcap index slumping 0.93 % to 52,203.02. Let’s explore individual stock movements based on data from Moneycontrol Live Updates

Foreign and Domestic Institutional Activity

FII pumped Rs. 283.65 crore in Indian stock market on November 20, 2025. Meanwhile, DII showed an even stronger buying appetite with an investment of Rs 824.46 crore on the same day. Buying support from institutional investors averted a sharper decline in the stock market today. 

Top Gainers and Losers

Auto and healthcare stocks were the biggest gainers on Nifty 50. Mahindra & Mahindra shares were up 1.04 % at Rs. 3,755.20. The automaker received an 'outperform' rating from CLSA at a target price of Rs. 4,417, having confidence in maintaining market leadership across SUVs, tractors, and LCVs.

While Maruti Suzuki stock gained 0.92 % to reach Rs. 15,947. Eicher Motors surged 0.88 % to Rs. 7,188. Max Healthcare also emerged as one of the top gainers with a 0.56 % addition.

On the losing front, metal stocks were under severe selling pressure. Hindalco shares lost the most, tumbling 2.52 % to Rs 779.65 due to a fire incident at its Novelis aluminium plant in Oswego, New York. Nifty Metal index fell 1.5 % due to concerns about the extension of steel import policy.

Bajaj Finance shed 1.77 % to Rs 1,010.40, JSW Steel 1.46 % and Tata Steel 1.33 %. Selling was also seen in Adani Ports stock that went down 1.37 % at Rs 1,470.70.

Also Read: Stock Market Today: Sensex at 85,422 and Nifty Up 0.32% at 26,134, Tech Mahindra Surges 1.75% to Lead Gains

Banking Sector Developments

ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, and Kotak Mahindra Bank were among the most active stocks in terms of volume in futures and options trading as investors remained interested despite the selloff. The board of Kotak Mahindra Bank met to consider a stock split proposal, though the stock closed marginally lower at Rs. 2,092.85. Market capitalisation of the bank stood at Rs. 416,216.17 crore.

Notable Corporate Actions

Several companies in the Indian stock market today made key announcements. TCS informed that it has entered into a strategic partnership with TPG, a leading global asset manager, to expand its AI data center business, named HyperVault. Total commitments of up to Rs 18,000 crore are envisioned for the joint venture, with TPG investing up to Rs 8,820 crore to hold a stake ranging from 27.5% to 49%.

The board of InterGlobe Aviation approved an investment of USD 820 million in its wholly owned subsidiary, InterGlobe Aviation Financial Services IFSC Private. The stock rose 0.14 % to Rs. 5,795. Groww posted strong quarterly numbers, as the net profit surged 24.6% to Rs 471.3 crore. Revenue grew 12.7% to Rs 1,018.7 crore, reflecting healthy growth for the fintech firm.

Mid-Cap and Small-Cap Action

DCM Shriram shares rose 6.35% to 1,252.75 rupees, up the most in nine weeks. Volumes surged 483% from their five-day average, signaling strong buying interest. Ramco Cements rose 1.62% to Rs 1,013 - its biggest gain in four months. Sealmatic India traded ex-bonus and gained 6.55% to Rs 417.05.

Capillary Technologies had a good start, as shares shot 13 % higher after listing at a 3 % discount to its IPO price. The Rs. 877.5 crore IPO was subscribed nearly 53 times during its bidding period. RateGain Travel Technologies announced a strategic partnership with HotelIQ. Its stock, however, was down 2.42 % at Rs. 696.65.

Currency and Commodity Markets

Indian rupee opened marginally stronger at 88.67 per dollar against Thursday's close of 88.70, reflecting relative stability in forex markets.

Gold prices remained subdued after stronger-than-expected US jobs data diminished expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts in December. Spot gold was 0.1 % lower at USD 4,072.87 per ounce.

Also Read: Best Indian AI Stocks to Invest Now for Long-Term Growth

Market Outlook 

The stock market today is showing cautious investor sentiments, albeit selective buying in auto and select sectors. Institutional support is still positive, and corporate earnings remain resilient; the near-term outlook appears mixed. Investors should pay attention to global developments, in particular US monetary policy clues, while looking for stock-specific opportunities in quality names.

FAQs

1. What caused the dip in the stock market today? 

A broader profit-taking was observed across sectors, particularly metals, banking, and information technology. The broader market remained under pressure, mainly due to overnight global factors, the expected prospect of US rate cuts, and mixed economic data. Institutional buying provided some support, but sentiment remained cautious, and traders began to reduce their positions and take profits. 

2. Which sectors were resilient despite the drop in the market? 

The auto and healthcare sectors were relatively more resilient during the trading session, in part because of strong earnings outlooks and brokerage calls on the stocks. Stocks such as Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Eicher Motors, and Max Healthcare were positive even as broader indices weakened throughout the session. The relatively stronger performance provided some balance in a weak trading day.

3. What contributed to the dip in metal stocks today? 

Metal stocks faced selling pressure mainly due to news regarding the proposed extension of steel import policies and firm-specific news, a fire at a Novelis plant owned by Hindalco in the US, which led to heightened selling in the metals sector. Furthermore, weaker broader commodity pricing and ongoing demand uncertainties also contributed to the afternoon weakness in metal stocks.

4. What role did the institutional investors play in stock market today?

While the close was negative, institutional investors came to the rescue. FIIs purchased Rs 283.65 crore of stocks, and DIIs bought for Rs 824.46 crore. These inflows averted further deterioration of the market and acceptable levels of confidence remained in India's economic prospects and corporate fundamentals.

5. What should investors look for in the near future?

The main issues impacting stock markets are central banks' ongoing monetary policy, especially the US Federal Reserve's rate decisions, which tend to dominate market sentiment. Secondly, CPIs and sector trends are to be monitored, along with high-quality stocks that are strong on fundamentals. Given the uncertainty and volatility, selective buying should be a strategy for the near future.