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Domestic equity benchmarks fell on Wednesday after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) kept key lending rates on hold while maintaining its 'neutral' policy stance. Rate-sensitive stocks staged mixed moves with a negative bias, with some sections of the market disappointed with the RBI policy outcome. Both main indices finished lower for a second straight trading session. Investors remained focused on incoming corporate earnings for domestic cues. Globally, investors remained in a cautious mood amid uncertainties around the tariff war and its potential impact on the global economy. 

The Sensex lost 166.3 points, or 0.2 per cent, to end at 80,544 while the Nifty50 gave up 75.4 points, or 0.3 per cent, to settle at 24,574.2, after spending much of the session below the flatline. 

Wipro, Sun Pharma, Jio Financial Services, Tech Mahindra, IndusInd Bank, Infosys and Dr Reddy's Labs--closing between 1.8 per cent and 2.5 per cent lower--were the worst hit among the 37 losers in the Nifty50 basket. 

On the flipside, Asian Paints, HDFC Life, M&M, BEL and Coal India--rising between 0.7 per cent and 1.9 per cent--were the top gainers in the 50-blue-chip pack. 

Among index heavyweights, Infosys, Sun Pharma, Bajaj Finance, TCS and Eternal were the biggest contributors to the losses in both gauges. On the contrary, gains in HDFC Bank, M&M and Asian Paints lent some support to the market, helping the 30- and 50-scrip gauges avoid deeper downside.

Financial, auto, realty and consumer durable stocks largely staged mixed moves after the RBI announced no change in the repo rate -- or the key interest rate at which the central bank lends short-term funds to commercial banks. 

The Nifty Bank -- whose 12 constituents include stocks like SBI and HDFC Bank -- inched higher at the closing bell, having gyrated in a range of more than 300 points around the flatline. 

Here's how some of the other rate-sensitive barometers fared: 

Some analysts viewed the RBI governor-led MPC's decision to hold rates as a missed opportunity amid fears of a global slowdown owing to uncertaintly around US President Donald Trump's trade policy.   

Broader market

Among broader indices, Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 100 declined 0.8 per cent and 1.1 per cent, respectively. 

Overall market breadth remained pessimistic as two stocks fell for every rising stock in the BSE universe. At the end of the session, 1,345 stocks were down while 2,706 were up on the bourse. 

Global markets

European shares began the day on a cautious note, with the pan-continental Stoxx 600 index trading barely in the green in the early hours. 

Dow futures were up 171 points or 0.4 per cent, suggesting a positive start on Wall Street later in the day.  

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