The benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, opened lower on Thursday as persistent foreign fund outflows and selling in information technology (IT) stocks weighed on market sentiments. In early trading, the BSE Sensex fell by 225.17 points, reaching 79,707.66, while the NSE Nifty declined by 60.85 points to settle at 24,280.

Among the 30 stocks on the Sensex, Tech Mahindra, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, HCL Technologies, Titan, Maruti Suzuki, and UltraTech Cement were the most significant laggards, contributing to the decline. In contrast, Larsen & Toubro saw a notable increase, rising over 5 per cent after reporting a 5 per cent rise in its consolidated profit after tax, amounting to Rs 3,395 crore for the September 2024 quarter, attributed to higher income. Other gainers included Sun Pharma, Axis Bank, Tata Steel, and State Bank of India.