FX.co ★ Indian Markets Slip for Third Straight Day

The BSE Sensex fell by 251 points, or 0.3%, settling at 81,909 during Tuesday's morning trade. This marks its third consecutive decline and its lowest point in over a week. The market sentiment was negatively impacted by a significant increase in H-1B visa costs. IT stocks were the primary contributors to the index's drop, followed by pharmaceuticals and metals, though the auto sector helped partially offset these losses. Investors also focused on developments in US-India trade negotiations, especially following President Trump's decision to restrict skilled foreign visas, which has added strain to bilateral relations. In terms of economic data, initial reports indicated that India's private sector growth slowed in September compared to August's peak, with both the manufacturing and services sectors expanding at a more moderate pace. Nevertheless, an optimistic session on Wall Street on Monday helped mitigate losses, driven by robust performances from major tech companies. Among the most significant decliners were Asian Paints (-1.9%), UltraTech Cement (-1.8%), Nestle India (-1.3%), Titan (-1.2%), and Tech Mahindra (-1.2%).