Stock Market Today: 73 Stocks Hit 52-Week Highs, 79 at Lows as Sensex, Nifty End in Red

Mumbai, June 19, 2025 — Indian benchmark indices slipped into negative territory on Wednesday as investors turned cautious ahead of key global macroeconomic cues and domestic earnings. Despite the overall market weakness, 73 stocks on the BSE hit their 52-week highs, while 79 others tumbled to their 52-week lows, reflecting significant divergence in investor sentiment across sectors.

Benchmark Indices End Lower

The BSE Sensex shed 182.35 points, or 0.24%, to close at 76,410.78, while the NSE Nifty 50 fell 57.45 points, or 0.25%, to end at 23,226.40. Broader market indices underperformed, with the Nifty Midcap 100 down 0.41% and Nifty Smallcap 100 dropping 0.55%.

"Markets remained range-bound for most of the session but succumbed to late selling pressure as investors booked profits in key index constituents," said Siddharth Khemka, Head of Retail Research, Motilal Oswal Financial Services.

Sectoral Overview: Metal, Realty, and PSU Banks Under Pressure

Most sectoral indices ended in the red. The Nifty Metal index dropped nearly 1.3%, weighed down by global demand concerns. Realty stocks, too, faced heat with the Nifty Realty index falling 1.1%. PSU banks lost ground on profit-taking after a recent rally.

On the flip side, Nifty IT and FMCG showed resilience, closing marginally in the green. "Defensive buying in IT and FMCG provided some cushion to the benchmarks, but lack of strong triggers limited upside potential," noted Ruchit Jain, Lead Research Analyst at 5paisa.com.

52-Week Highs and Lows: Market Breadth Diverges

Despite the overall market weakness, 73 stocks touched their 52-week highs, signaling optimism in selected counters. These included names like Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, Coal India, Bosch, Sunteck Realty, and TTK Prestige. On the other hand, 79 stocks slid to 52-week lows, including Vodafone Idea, UCO Bank, HFCL, Glenmark Life Sciences, and IDBI Bank.

“This split reflects a stark rotation within the market — where well-performing sectors like defense, shipping, and quality midcaps are still attracting strong inflows, while underperformers in telecom and select financials are being abandoned,” said Ravi Singh, Market Strategist at Mehta Equities.

Technical View: Key Support and Resistance Levels

From a technical standpoint, analysts believe the Nifty is still in a consolidative phase and will need a strong breakout above 23,350 to resume upward momentum.

“The immediate support is placed at 23,100, and any breach below could lead to a short-term correction toward 22,950. Until then, sideways movement with stock-specific action is likely,” explained Amol Athawale, Vice President – Technical Research, Kotak Securities.

Meanwhile, the Sensex may face resistance at 76,800, while crucial support lies near 75,900.

Global Cues and FII/DII Flow

Investors are also closely watching the US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's upcoming address for cues on the rate path. Additionally, global equity markets remained mixed as uncertainty over interest rates and geopolitical tensions persisted.

On the domestic front, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net sellers, pulling out ₹789 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) provided some support with net purchases worth ₹643 crore.

Corporate Earnings and Monsoon Progress in Focus

As the Q1FY26 earnings season nears, investor focus is gradually shifting toward companies likely to deliver robust numbers amid a mixed macro environment. Meanwhile, the monsoon's progress will remain a crucial factor, especially for agri and FMCG sectors.

“June-July rains will be critical in shaping rural demand. We are already seeing momentum in stocks linked to irrigation, fertilizers, and farm equipment,” said Bhavesh Shah, Equity Strategist at ICICI Direct.

Investor Outlook: Stock Selection Key Amid Volatility

Going ahead, market experts recommend a cautious but stock-specific approach, especially as the market enters a consolidation phase. Themes like defense, infrastructure, and large-cap IT are expected to remain in favor.

"Volatility is expected to persist over the next few weeks. Rather than chasing index levels, investors should focus on fundamentally strong companies with growth visibility,” advised Neeraj Chadha, Chief Investment Officer at Artha Capital.