Equity benchmarks traded mixed by Wednesday afternoon, with the Sensex holding marginal gains while the Nifty slipped into negative territory, as strong performance in technology stocks helped offset broader market weakness.

The 30-share BSE Sensex traded at 75,874.66, up 36.30 points or 0.05 per cent from its previous close, while the Nifty50 declined 27.25 points or 0.12 per cent to 22,997.40.

The market breadth remained significantly negative, with 3,087 stocks declining compared to 752 advances on the BSE, indicating widespread selling pressure particularly in the broader market. The Nifty Midcap Select index fell 1.83 per cent, while the Nifty Next 50 dropped 2.08 per cent, highlighting the strain on mid and small-cap segments.

Information technology stocks emerged as the day’s outperformers, with Infosys leading the gains, up 2.79 per cent, followed by Wipro at 2.55 per cent, TCS at 2.38 per cent, and Tech Mahindra advancing 2.04 per cent. Sun Pharma also showed strength, rising 1.60 per cent.

However, significant weakness was visible in several heavyweight stocks, with Bharat Electronics dropping 4.19 per cent, Tata Motors declining 3.52 per cent, and Adani Enterprises falling 2.22 per cent. State Bank of India and Adani Ports also faced selling pressure, declining 2.15 per cent and 2.11 per cent respectively.

The banking sector displayed weakness, with the Nifty Bank index dropping 414.70 points or 0.85 per cent to 48,156.20, while the Nifty Financial Services index declined 0.68 per cent to 22,396.00.

Market volatility remained elevated, as evidenced by 344 stocks hitting their lower circuit limits compared to 160 stocks reaching upper circuits. Additionally, 132 stocks touched their 52-week lows, while 71 stocks reached their 52-week highs, reflecting the cautious sentiment among investors.

The market had started the day on a positive note, with both benchmarks opening higher following favorable global cues and renewed interest in AI investments. However, selling pressure emerged as the day progressed, particularly affecting the broader market segments and specific sectors like banking and automobiles.