Indian equity markets opened on a sour note on Tuesday as theBSE SensexandNSE Nifty 50witnessed steep early declines, driven primarily by a sharp sell-off in IT sector stocks. The Sensex was trading more than 450 points lower in early deals, while the Nifty slipped below the 25,600 threshold — signalling renewed risk-off sentiment among investors.

Leading the weakness were heavyweight IT stocks, which came under renewed pressure after global brokerage Jefferies downgraded several major technology firms over concerns related to artificial intelligence disruption and its potential impact on long-term earnings prospects. Infosys, one of India’s largest IT exporters, was among the biggest decliners, falling about 3% in early trade. Other key IT players also registered losses, dragging theNifty IT Indexfurther into the red.

Market participants attributed the broader sell-off to a mix of domestic and global cues, including cautious sentiment around technology stocks, uncertain global macroeconomic trends, and lingering concerns over export demand. Broader indices beyond IT also showed signs of weakness as traders reassessed risk exposure.

The early weakness has compounded recent volatility in Indian markets, with analysts cautioning that sustained pressure on high-beta sectors like IT could weigh on overall market sentiment in the coming sessions. Investors are watching closely for further cues from domestic data and global cues to gauge the trajectory of the market.