On Monday, the SENSEX opened 200 points lower at 79,220.50, down 0.33%, while the NIFTY50 held at 24,073.55, down 0.31%.
Major stocks like Asian Paints, HDFC Life, BPCL, Axis Bank, and Cipla led the day's losses, with Asian Paints plunging 9% after reporting a 43.71% drop in Q2 profits to ₹693.66 crore, due to low demand and rising costs. In contrast, top gainers included Power Grid, Tata Motors, and Maruti. Biocon rose over 4% as its Biocon Biologics unit received a USFDA “voluntary action indicated” tag, supporting investor sentiment.