Indian equity markets ended Samvat 2082 on a mixed note, with benchmark indices recording annual losses despite a sharp recovery in the final week. Persistent foreign institutional selling, geopolitical tensions, rising crude oil prices and uncertainty surrounding global interest rates weighed on investor sentiment throughout the year. Between October 21, 2025, and November 6, 2026, the Nifty 50 declined 3.2 percent, while the Sensex lost 4 percent. However, the broader markets demonstrated greater resilience, with the Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 100 gaining 2 percent and 3.6 percent, respectively.
The final trading week of Samvat 2082 witnessed a remarkable turnaround as broad-based buying erased much of the weakness seen in preceding weeks. The Nifty 50 surged 8.58 percent to close at 25,030.35. The Nifty 100 gained 8.08 percent, while the Nifty 500 gained 7.13 percent. However, despite the rise, India VIX climbed 15.42 percent to 17.66.
The Nifty Capital Markets index gained 10.73 percent, followed closely by Financial Services excluding Banks, which advanced 10.69 percent. Cement, realty and consumer durables also registered double-digit gains. Technology stocks, however, remained relatively subdued on account of a global rout in IT stocks. The Nifty IT index gained just 1.14 percent.
While Indian equities staged a powerful comeback, developments on Wall Street presented a contrasting picture. American markets experienced a turbulent week marked by political developments, monetary policy uncertainty and a sharp correction in technology stocks. The Nasdaq Composite declined 5.52 percent, while the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 4.36 percent and 3.44 percent, respectively.
The US midterm elections, which saw Democrats secure control of both chambers of Congress, initially encouraged investors hoping for reduced geopolitical tensions. However, optimism quickly faded as concerns emerged over potentially tighter regulation of artificial intelligence companies.