Nifty Hits a 7-Month Low; ₹8.75 Lakh Cr of Wealth Wiped Out


By Dalal Street Investment Journal (DSIJ)

Summary:


Indian equities slid sharply on Wednesday, with the Nifty hitting a fresh 7-month low and slipping below its 200-DMA. Market breadth weakened as 6 in 10 Nifty 50 stocks traded under their 200-DMA. The selloff erased about ₹8.75 lakh crore in market value on the BSE in early trade. The fall was driven by five key reasons.

Nifty Hits a 7-Month Low; ₹8.75 Lakh Cr of Wealth Wiped Out

Indian equities were under heavy selling pressure on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, with benchmark indices sliding sharply in early trade. At 10:28 AM, the Nifty 50 was down about 450 points, while the Sensex had dropped nearly 1,330 points. The selloff was equally visible in the Bank Nifty, which slipped close to 1,200 points (around 2%) and traded below the 58,700 mark.

The damage was spread across sectors. Most sectoral indices traded in the red, with Nifty IT the lone outlier, eking out a marginal gain of 0.24%. The steepest cuts were seen in Nifty Metal, Nifty PSU Bank, and Nifty Realty, each down over 3%.

Nifty Hits Fresh 7-Month Low; 30 Nifty Stocks Trade Below Their 200-DMA

From a market-structure standpoint, the Nifty 50 slipped below its 200-day moving average (200-DMA), which is an important long-term moving average. The index also marked a fresh seven-month low, indicating that the current decline is not just intraday noise but a breakdown of an important trend support. Adding to the concern, 30 Nifty 50 constituents were trading below their 200-DMA, including heavyweights such as Adani Ports, Asian Paints, Reliance Industries, Bajaj Finance and more.

Sun Pharmaceutical Ind L

Trade

1750.5-2.00 (-0.11 %)

Updated - 04 March 2026
1757.20day high
DAY HIGH
1721.00day low
DAY LOW
4914857
VOLUME (BSE)

Five Key Triggers Behind Wednesday’s Sharp Fall in Indian Markets

1) West Asian conflict keeps risk sentiment on edge

The conflict in West Asia showed no signs of de-escalation even on the fifth day, keeping global risk appetite fragile. In early trade, the total market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies stood at ₹44,742,211 crore versus ₹45,617,223.98 crore on March 2—an erosion of ₹8,75,012.98 crore (about ₹8.75 lakh crore) in investor wealth.

As per developments reported by CNN, the US closed embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Lebanon after several were hit with Iranian strikes. A CIA station in Saudi Arabia and a US military base in Qatar—the largest in the Middle East—were also hit. Non-essential US government staff in multiple Middle Eastern countries have been asked to depart.

2) Oil spike is a direct headwind for India

The war has pushed crude prices higher, which is negative for net importers like India. Brent crude was trading above the $82 per barrel mark, raising concerns over inflation, the trade deficit, and corporate margins, especially in oil-sensitive pockets.

3) Rupee hits a record low, amplifying market stress

The surge in oil prices and the global risk-off tone also weighed on the currency. The rupee touched a record low of 92.17 against the US dollar this morning, which added pressure on equities, particularly where imported input costs and currency losses become a concern.

4) FII turned net sellers

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have remained on the sell side, net sellers for the third day in a row on Monday, March 2, 2026, leading to a net outflow of ₹14,478 crore in just three trading sessions.

5) IIP slowed to 3-month low 

India’s industrial production (IIP) growth slowed to a three-month low of 4.8% in January, down from an upwardly revised 26-month high of 8% in December, driven by a broad-based slowdown across mining, manufacturing, and electricity, along with some base effects.

Published Date : 04 Mar 2026

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Content Partner - Dalal Street Investment Journal Wealth Advisory Private Limited



This article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Market investments are subject to risks. DSIJ Wealth Advisory Private Limited is a SEBI-registered Research Analyst (Reg. No: INH000006396) and Investment Adviser (Reg. No: INA000001142). Please consult your financial adviser before investing. 

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