Weekly wrap: SENSEX lost 490 pts, NIFTY50 down 0.8% as Max Healthcare, Ultratech Cement, others drag losses this week

The benchmark NIFTY50 and SENSEX indices both ended their week with losses as of the second week of August 2026, as investors exercised caution amid key inflation data, foreign investment outflows, and geopolitical risk from the conflict in West Asia.

The NIFTY50 index lost 0.83% or 204.65 points to close at 24,366 points this week, while the BSE SENSEX index lost 0.6% or 489.92 points to close at 78,009.25 points as of the week ended Friday, August 14.

This week, investors analysed retail inflation and wholesale inflation data for the Indian economy, while trading against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions and the lack of progress towards a peace deal in West Asia.

India’s volatility index, the Nifty India VIX, was down 6.9% as investors still pin their hopes towards any positive development or a potential peace deal between the United States and Iran in West Asia amid a marginal pullback in crude oil prices.

Stock market recap

The benchmark stock market indices ended lower for the fourth consecutive trading session on Friday, August 14, dragged down by the metal and pharma stocks as investors remained cautious after reports of the latest round of attacks at the Strait of Hormuz.

The NIFTY50 index closed 0.12% lower at 24,366 points after the trading session on August 14, in comparison to 24,395.85 points at the previous equity market close, as per NSE data.

Meanwhile, the BSE SENSEX index ended 0.09% lower at 78,009.25 points after the trading session on Friday, compared to 78,079.96 points at the previous market close, according to the exchange data.

Investors were also reacting to wholesale inflation marginally easing to 9.78% in July 2026 from 9.87% in June 2026, despite prices of primary articles and manufactured products remaining elevated in the period.

Top 5 NIFTY50 gainers & losers this week

Stocks like Bharat Electronics, Dr Reddy’s, Titan Company, Bharti Airtel, and Eternal were among the top gainers on the benchmark NIFTY50 index for the week ended Friday, August 14, 2026.

Others like Max Healthcare, Ultratech Cement, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (PV), and SBI Life Insurance were among the top NIFTY50 losers this week.

Factors that impacted markets this week

This week, the overal investors sentiment was dented by the lack of progress in negotiations between the United States and Iran, as reports suggested threats of a Strait of Hormuz blockade loomed at a time when oil supply concerns remained in the market.

On the crude oil front, global benchmark Brent crude oil prices temporarily touched the $90 per barrel (bbl) level this week, after which energy prices witnessed a marginal pullback, trading around $87 per bbl.

The domestic indices also continued to witness pressure from the ongoing foreign investment outflows, with heightened risk sentiment in the market as the softer-than-expected inflation in the United States prompted traders to shift their bets.

India’s retail inflation, or the Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, increased to 4.45% in the month of July 2026, largely driven by elevated food prices in the economy, in comparison to a 4.38% inflation rate in June 2026.

National Statistics Office (NSO) released CPI data showing that India’s food inflation rose to 5.52% in July 2026 from 5.32% in June 2026.

In contrast, the wholesale inflation data eased to 9.78% in July from 9.87% in June, despite prices of primary articles and manufactured products rising in the same period.

Top sectoral index movers this week

This week, top-performing sectors like Nifty Auto up 3.1%, Nifty Media up 2.3%, Nifty Realty up 1.1%, and Nifty India Defence up 0.8% were among the gainers.

Top sectoral losers this week were Nifty Metal down 1.9%, Nifty FMCG down 1.7%, Nifty Oil & Gas down 1%, Nifty IT down 0.6%, and Nifty PSU Bank down 0.5%.

Top midcap stocks this week

Nifty Midcap 100 data showed that stocks like One97 Communications (Paytm), Vodafone Idea, MCX, InfoEdge India, and Hitachi Energy India were among the top gainers this week.

While other stocks like PI Industries, Bharat Forge, Page Industries, Godfrey Phillips India, and HUDCO were among the top laggards as of the week ended Friday, August 14, 2026.

Top smallcap stocks this week

NSE data showed that stocks like Gland Pharma, BLS International, Pine Labs, Sarda Energy, and Devyani International were among the top gainers on the — Nifty Smallcap 100 index — as of the week ended Friday, August 14, 2026.

Others like Physicswallah, KEC International, Aegis Logistics, Triveni Turbine, and HBL Engineering were among the top losers this week.

How much have FPIs sold this month?

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) remained net sellers as of the week ended August 14 for this month, as heightened geopolitical risk prompts them to shift investments to safer asset classes and away from riskier emerging markets bets.

Latest NSDL data showed that FPIs have so far sold a total of ₹2,336.68 crore worth of assets from the Indian capital markets across asset classes this month.

Although the benchmark equity market indices ended lower during the final trading session, NSE data showed that foreign institutional investors (FIIs) purchased ₹508.12 crore worth of assets from the equity markets.

The investment outflows are expected to continue till the geopolitical situation stabilises in the global market, with any positive triggers or a potential peace deal between the United States and Iran in West Asia.