FX.co ★ Indian Stocks Slide Ahead of CPI

Indian equities ended sharply lower on Monday as investors trimmed risk exposure ahead of a key inflation release due after market close. The S&P BSE Sensex slipped 0.8% to 71,925, while the NSE Nifty 50 declined 0.7% to 22,363, leaving both benchmarks hovering just above the two-year lows reached last week. Domestic bond yields jumped during the session, reflecting expectations that headline inflation will quicken to 5.4%, moving closer to the Reserve Bank of India’s 6% upper tolerance band. The RBI raised policy rates last week and indicated it remains prepared to tighten further. Yields were also pressured higher by suspected central bank intervention in the foreign exchange market aimed at stabilizing the rupee. Technology stocks led the sell-off, with Tech Mahindra down 3.3% and TCS losing 1.5%, while major industrials also posted notable declines.