Market Recap: Sensex and Nifty Drop for 5th Straight Week Ending July 25; What Dragged the Markets?

The BSE Sensex closed the week at 81,463.09, falling 721.08 points or 0.88%, while the Nifty 50 settled at 24,837.00, down 225.10 points or 0.90%. Both indices recorded marginal weekly losses, continuing the trend of subdued market sentiment that has persisted throughout July.

This consistent downtrend reflects investor caution ahead of major global events, including the upcoming US Fed policy decision, continued foreign fund outflows, and mixed domestic earnings. Short-term volatility has weighed on market direction.

Notably, this marks the fifth straight week of losses, raising concerns about near-term momentum even as broader participation in select mid and small caps continues.

Roundup of Major Business News This Week

This week saw several notable corporate developments from IPO plans and stock splits to major investments and HR policy updates from India’s top companies.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) responded to concerns over delays in onboarding over 600 experienced professionals. The company stated that all offer holders will be onboarded, although timelines may shift based on business needs.

The IPO of National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) will open on July 30 and close on August 1, 2025. The issue consists of 5.01 crore shares through an Offer for Sale (OFS).

BEML Limited has announced a 1:2 stock split aimed at boosting share liquidity and increasing retail participation.This marks the company’s first stock split, despite a consistent dividend payout history.

LIC has increased its stake in SBI from 9.21% to 9.49% by investing ₹5,000 crore through a Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP). Over 6.1 crore shares were purchased at ₹817 apiece, reflecting LIC’s long-term confidence in the public lender.

HDFC Bank has announced its first-ever bonus issue in a 1:1 ratio, granting shareholders one free share for each held. The board approved the move during a meeting on July 19, along with a special dividend.

Major Q1FY26 Earnings This Week

Infosys, in its Q1 FY26 results, reported revenue of $4.94 billion, registering a 3.8% YoY and 2.6% QoQ growth in constant currency terms. In rupee terms, revenue rose 7.5% YoY and 3.3% QoQ to ₹42,279 crore.

HDFC Bank, in its Q1 FY26 results, posted net revenue of ₹531.7 billion, up from ₹405.1 billion a year earlier. This includes ₹91.3 billion in gains from the partial IPO of subsidiary HDB Financial Services.

Eternal, in its Q1 FY26 results, reported a 90% YoY drop in net profit to ₹25 crore. However, revenue surged 70.4% YoY to ₹7,167 crore, driven by robust growth in its core business segments.

Nestlé India, in its Q1 FY26 results, saw net profit fall 13.4% YoY to ₹647 crore. Despite this, revenue from operations rose 6% YoY to ₹5,096 crore, with strong growth in both domestic and export sales.

Conclusion

Markets remained under pressure for the fifth consecutive week, reflecting caution amid global uncertainty, institutional selling, and mixed earnings. While headline indices declined marginally, stock-specific action and corporate updates kept investor interest alive. Going forward, market direction may hinge on upcoming global cues and domestic earnings announcements, with volatility expected to persist in the near term.

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