Indian equity markets ended February on a subdued note, with Nifty having its worst monthly crash since the pandemic. Smallcap stocks faced significant declines, while 25 out of 30 Sensex stocks delivered negative returns, with 12 experiencing double-digit losses. The IT sector saw the steepest fall amid concerns over a weakening US business environment.
Jai Corp Ltd, which lost 69 per cent of its market value till Thursday, fell another 4 per cent on Friday. Vakrangee, Best Agrolife, Zen Technologies and Quick Heal Technologies plunged 51-68 per cent during the same period.
Trump’s renewed threat of reciprocal tariffs on India and China added to market anxiety. While details remain unclear, the uncertainty weighed on sentiment, particularly for export-driven sectors such as pharma.