The BSE Sensex dropped 592 points, or 0.7%, to 81,752 in morning trade on Thursday, erasing gains from the previous two sessions as traders grew cautious ahead of the Union Budget 2026 due this weekend. Traders also continued to brace for the Q3 earnings season. However, a trade agreement between India and the EU capped the fall. Most sectors traded in the red, including auto, tech, banking, and financial services. By contrast, metal stocks rose 1.3% on hopes of a rise in infrastructure spending in this year’s budget, with gains from Tata Steel (1.9%) and JSW Steel (0.9%). Among the biggest laggards were Maruti Suzuki (-2.4%), Asian Paints (-2.3%), Mahindra & Mahindra (-2.3%), Titan (-2.1%), and Hindustan Unilever (-2.1%).
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