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By Dalal Street Investment Journal (DSIJ)
The Nifty IT index plunged over 10% in a week, marking its sharpest fall since COVID. Infosys hit a 52-week low following weak guidance, dragging the sector lower. The sharp correction led to market cap erosion of over ₹2 lakh crore in the top five IT stocks, reflecting concerns over slowing demand and muted outlook.
Indian equities slipped sharply on Friday, April 24, 2026, with selling pressure intensifying through the session. As of 1:23 PM, the Nifty 50 was down over 300 points, or 1.25%, slipping below the 23,900 mark. The Sensex declined by nearly 1,100 points, led by a steep correction in IT stocks, which have emerged as the primary drag on the indices.
The weakness was largely concentrated in frontline IT names. Infosys and TCS declined by 6% and 5%, respectively, accounting for nearly 90 points of the Nifty’s fall. The broad-based selling across the IT pack reflects a combination of disappointing earnings commentary and cautious forward guidance.
The Nifty IT index stood out as the worst-performing sector of the day. Except for OFSS, which was marginally in the green, all other constituents declined in the range of 2% to 6.4%. On a weekly basis, the index has fallen over 10%, marking its steepest weekly drop since the COVID period and the sharpest single-week decline in more than six years.
Infosys triggered a sharp negative reaction post its Q4FY26 results, with the stock falling around 6% and hitting a 52-week low. The key concern stemmed from its FY27 guidance of 1.5% to 3.5% constant currency growth, signalling a subdued demand environment.
Management commentary further weighed on sentiment, highlighting weak discretionary spending and slower decision-making, particularly towards the end of the quarter. These factors point to persistent macroeconomic uncertainty impacting client budgets and deal closures.
HCLTech reported a net profit of ₹4,488 crore for Q4FY26, registering a 4.2% year-on-year and 10.1% sequential increase. Revenue grew 12.34% YoY to ₹33,981 crore, although sequential growth remained modest at 0.32%. The company also declared an interim dividend of ₹24 per share.
The outlook remained cautious. The company guided for FY27 revenue growth of 1% to 4% in constant currency terms, lower than its FY26 growth band of 4% to 4.5%. EBIT margins are expected to remain in the range of 17.5% to 18.5%.
Management acknowledged that performance fell short of expectations due to softness in certain business segments, driven by reduced discretionary spending and delayed client decision-making. Demand challenges in telecom and enterprise segments continue to weigh on deal pipelines.
Wipro announced its largest-ever share buyback worth ₹15,000 crore, expected to be completed by Q1FY27. However, the announcement failed to lift sentiment as the near-term outlook disappointed investors.
For Q1FY27, the company guided IT services revenue in the range of $2,597 million to $2,651 million, translating into a sequential growth outlook of (-)2.0% to 0% in constant currency terms. The weak guidance reinforced concerns about near-term demand visibility.
TCS, which kicked off the earnings season, reported its third consecutive quarter of sequential growth, delivering 1.2% growth in constant currency terms. This came despite a challenging backdrop of geopolitical tensions and macroeconomic uncertainty.
The company’s order book remained robust, with $12 billion in total contract value (TCV), including three large deals from Marks & Spencer, a UK telecom operator, and a US-based healthcare and pharmacy retailer. However, the broader sector sentiment has overshadowed these positives.
The sharp correction in IT stocks has led to significant erosion in investor wealth. The top five IT companies alone have collectively lost approximately ₹2.17 lakh crore in market capitalisation within a week.
Stock Name | Market Cap as of April 20 in ₹ | Market Cap as of April 24 in ₹ | Change in ₹ |
Infosys | 5,34,784.40 | 4,72,453 | 62,331.40 |
TCS | 9,34,009.30 | 8,66,170 | 67,839.30 |
HCL Technologies | 3,91,391.90 | 3,26,481 | 64,910.90 |
Tech Mahindra | 1,48,083.90 | 1,32,643 | 15,440.90 |
Wipro | 2,14,293.40 | 2,07,917 | 6,376.40 |
|
|
| 2,16,898.90 |
The current sell-off in IT stocks is not driven by a single factor but a combination of concerns:
Muted revenue guidance across major IT firms
Weak discretionary spending by global clients
Ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty
SEBI Registered Research Analyst (INH000006396).
Founded in 1986, Dalal Street Investment Journal (DSIJ) brings decades of experience in India’s equity markets. DSIJ's research combines fundamental analysis with price action, guided by disciplined risk management and capital preservation. They follow a structured, data-driven approach designed to help investors and traders make informed decisions beyond short-term market noise.
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