Indian stocks had their biggest drop since March 2020 on Tuesday, and foreign investors sold the most shares ever. This happened because early vote counts in the general election showed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's alliance might not win the big majority that exit polls had predicted.
With more than half the votes counted, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seemed unlikely to get a majority on its own in the 543-member lower house of parliament. This means they would need support from allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to form the government.
This situation could create uncertainty about economic policies, especially those focused on investment-led growth, which has been a key part of Modi's government.?
On a day marked by political drama and economic upheaval, Zerodha's Kite app saw an extraordinary surge in activity. As the Lok Sabha election results painted a surprising picture, stock market investors turned to the Zerodha Kite app in unprecedented numbers, adding a massive Rs 8,000 crore in funds. This event highlights the deep connection between political developments and market reactions and underscores the importance of having reliable trading platforms during volatile times.
The Indian stock market experienced a severe downturn on Tuesday, with benchmark indices BSE Sensex and Nifty50 facing their steepest fall in over four years. This dramatic decline was triggered by unexpected Lok Sabha election results showing a stronger-than-expected performance by the INDIA bloc, suggesting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA might not secure the landslide victory that exit polls had predicted.
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The Nifty50 fell by 1,379.40 points to end at 21,884.50, while the Sensex fell by 4,389.73 points to close at 72,079.05. This nearly 6% decline compared significantly to Monday's over 3% gains, which were fueled by expectations of a resounding NDA victory. The election results surprised investors, which resulted in massive sell-offs and a sharp drop in market value.
At the day's low, the indexes saw their biggest intraday fall since March 2020, when stocks were battered by the first lockdown during the COVID pandemic, according to Reuters.
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Concerns over potential delays and uncertainties in economic reforms, should the NDA's mandate be reduced, further exacerbated the market turmoil. Investors reacted sharply to the political developments, resulting in a staggering loss of market capitalisation. The total market value of all listed companies on the BSE plunged by Rs 29.9 lakh crore, bringing the cumulative market cap down to Rs 396 lakh crore.
Amid this election-induced volatility, trading activity surged on digital platforms. Zerodha's co-founder and CEO, Nithin Kamath, highlighted a significant increase in user engagement on the company's trading app, Zerodha Kite app. According to Kamath, more than Rs 8,000 crore in funds were added to the platform on Tuesday alone. The Zerodha Kite app recorded approximately 34.5 million orders placed, over 8 million logins, and more than 1 million GTT (Good Till Triggered) orders executed.
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?Kamath shared these insights on X (formerly known as Twitter), noting the remarkable activity on the Zerodha Kite app. "Activity today on Kite ?" he wrote, highlighting the unprecedented user engagement. Despite the flurry of activity, the overarching sentiment was one of anxiety and uncertainty, highlighting the market's sensitivity to political dynamics and the potential implications for India's economic policy landscape.
The Lok Sabha election results day proved to be a significant event for both the political and financial spheres in India. The sharp decline in stock market indices and the massive surge in activity on the Zerodha Kite app underscore the interconnectedness of politics and economics. For investors and traders using the Zerodha Kite app, the day was marked by high engagement and rapid responses to unfolding events, demonstrating the app's reliability and importance in times of market