Stock Market Closing Bell: The domestic stock indices fell significantly to settle in negative territory for the fifth consecutive session on Monday. Sensex, the index of top 30 shares on BSE, closed at 74,454.41, down 856.65 points or 1.14 per cent, while Nifty50, the index of top 50 shares on NSE, fell 242.55 points or 1.06 per cent to settle at 22,553.35.

In the intraday trade, the BSE index fell over 900 points to an intraday low of 74,387.44.

Longest losing streak since 1996

After nearly five months of correction, the BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty are about to register their longest monthly losing streak in around past 3 decades, according to a report in Moneycontrol.

The last time the Nifty witnessed a five-month continuous decline was between July and November 1996, said the report. The Indian stock market has been facing a continuous decline since September 2024 amid several geo-political reasons, FII selling and weak quarterly earnings.

Nifty and  Sensex hit record highs in September

The NSE Nifty hit a high of 26,277.35 on September 27, last year i.e. 2024. It has come down around 22,500 in today's trade, a depreciation of 14.18 per cent in the last five months.

The BSE Sensex was also at an all-time high of 85,978.25 on September 27, 2024. On February 24, 2025, it closed at 74,454. This is a decrease of 13.39 per cent compared to its peak.

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Key Reasons Behind Stock Market Crash Today

Foreign portfolio investors exit Indian markets

FPIs have been selling Indian shares since October last year on rising valuations, rising US bond yields and economic slowdown concerns. FPIs sold nearly ₹37,000 crore in the cash market in February alone (till the 21st). In total, FPIs have pulled out over ₹3 lakh crore since October 2024, putting further pressure on domestic equities.

Geopolitical risks add to market uncertainty

Ongoing geopolitical tensions, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict and unrest in the Middle East, have already weighed on investor sentiment. The latest tariff measures in the US are adding to uncertainty and are further unsettling global and Indian markets.

Indian economy slows down

Market concerns have been fueled by expectations of slower GDP growth in the coming quarters. Analysts believe that the weak economic outlook is a major factor contributing to the recent stock market decline.

Global trade war concerns 

Fears of a global trade war are rising as US President Donald Trump moves ahead with punitive tariff policies. Experts warn that escalating trade tensions between the world's largest economy and other major countries could hurt global economic growth, which is already struggling with high inflation and recession.

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