Reuters reported on October 1, 2026, that the Nifty 50 and BSE Sensex had each fallen for eight consecutive weeks—their longest such losing run in 25 years. The streak reflected pressure from record foreign selling, crude prices near $100 a barrel and rising global yields, alongside a weaker rupee and higher Indian bond yields. The figures below describe that dated report, not current market levels.
How much did the indices fall?
In the holiday-shortened week ending with the October 1 report, the Nifty 50 fell 3.1% and the Sensex declined 2.7%. Across the full eight-week run, the Nifty lost 8.7% and the Sensex 8.4%, according to Reuters’ October 1 report. The “25 years” comparison describes the duration of the weekly losing streak, not the size of the percentage decline.
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At the October 1 close, the Nifty stood at 22,421.95, down 0.88% that day, while the Sensex closed at 71,909.70, down 0.79%. Those daily moves are distinct from both the week’s decline and the cumulative eight-week loss. Index points also use different scales, so point changes between the Sensex and Nifty are not directly comparable.
What put pressure on Indian shares?
Reuters cited several pressures on investor sentiment; its report did not assign a precise share of the market decline to each factor.
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- Foreign selling: Foreign investors had sold a record $27.8 billion in Indian equities so far in 2026, Reuters reported. Sustained outflows add selling pressure and weigh on sentiment.
- Crude near $100 a barrel: Higher oil prices can raise costs for an oil-importing economy such as India, increasing concern about inflation and the country’s external balances.
- Rising global yields: Higher yields elsewhere can make investments outside India more attractive by comparison, adding to pressure on flows into Indian shares.
- A weaker rupee and higher bond yields: Reuters said the rupee had fallen to a two-month low and India’s benchmark 10-year government bond yield had reached its highest level in more than two years. These moves accompanied the equity weakness.
Which sectors fell, and what held up?
Fifteen of 16 major sectors declined over the week, Reuters reported. Information technology was the sole sector to gain, rising 0.5%. Auto shares fell 5.9%, while consumer durables dropped 6.2%. Reuters linked concern about consumer demand to a weak monsoon.
The Nifty’s 3.1% weekly decline was its steepest in more than six months; the Sensex’s 2.7% fall was its sharpest in more than four months, according to the same report. Those comparisons refer to the weekly moves, not the full eight-week losses.
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Does a 25-year losing-streak record mean the market’s long-term trend has changed?
Not by itself. A streak counts consecutive down weeks; it does not establish that a market has reached a bottom or show what will happen next. For longer-term context, the National Stock Exchange of India’s January 2026 Market Pulse reports that the Nifty 50 returned 10.5% in 2025 and delivered a 12.9% annualised return over the prior 25 years, measured in Indian rupees. These longer-horizon returns cannot be compared directly with an eight-week decline, and they do not predict a near-term recovery.
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What was known about the next policy decision?
Reuters reported that an RBI policy decision was expected on October 7, 2026, and that a poll pointed to a possible 25-basis-point increase to 5.50%. That was an expectation reported on October 1, not a confirmed decision; the figures here do not establish what the central bank later decided or how markets responded.
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