Indian stock markets are under pressure for the fifth consecutive session, with the Sensex and Nifty slipping 0.4% by noon.

The pain is significantly deeper in the broader market, where the BSE SmallCap Index faced intense selling pressure, tumbling nearly 3% in Tuesday’s trade. Adding to the pressure, concerns over trade tensions resurfaced after the U.S. imposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, triggering fears of retaliatory duties from other nations.

The BSE SmallCap Index was trading at 47,589.04 in the intraday, plunging 1,445.84 points or 2.95%. The index had hit a 52 week high of 57,827.69 and a 52-week low of 40,097.13. Currently, it is trading 17.7% below its 52-week high but still 18.7% above its 52-week low. Over the past month, the index has lost nearly 5.82%, while the last six months have seen an 11.68% decline. Despite this, the index remains 7.66% higher over the past year.

Top Losers in Smallcap segment

Several small-cap stocks continued to face heavy selling pressure, which include:

NGL Fine-Chem

NGL Fine-Chem saw a sharp decline in today’s trading session, plunging 14.43% to rs 1,291.80. The stock has been under pressure for the past month, losing 22.10%, and has fallen nearly 29.80% over the past year. Currently, it is trading close to its 52 week low of Rs 1,281.00, down from its 52 week high of Rs 2,823.90. The company’s market capitalisation stands at Rs 798.08 crore.

Goldiam International

Goldiam International share price saw sharp decline in intraday trading, falling over 10% to Rs 407.00 as selling pressure gripped the stock.

Over the past five days, it has dropped 26.52%, while in the last month, it has fallen 14.16%. Despite the recent slump, the stock has delivered strong returns over the past year, gaining 112.63%.

Currently, it is trading well below its 52-week high of Rs 569.00, but is above its 52 week low of Rs 143.55.

Suraj Estate Developers

Suraj Estate Developers was among the top losers in intraday trading, slipping 10.38% to Rs 379.30 as selling pressure continued.

The share price of Suraj Estate Developers over the past five days has declined nearly 15%,. However, it has gained 13.09% over the past year.

Aeroflex Industries

Aeroflex Industries share price tumbled 10.34% to Rs 212.90 in today’s trading session. Despite the sharp drop, the stock has shown a 39.1% gain over the past year.

HBL Engineering 

HBL Engineering also saw a steep decline in its share price today, plunging 10.26% to Rs 473.60. The stock has fallen 20.48% in the past five days. Currently, it is trading well below its 52-week high of Rs 739.65, though still above its 52-week low of Rs 378.20.

Other stocks in the small-cap segment that also faced heavy losses, including Zaggle Prepaid Ocean Services (9.99%), Alicon Castalloy (9.20%), Avalon Technologies (8.89%), Zen Technologies (8.88%), and NRB Bearings (8.72%).

Key reasons behind the market fall

The Indian stock market has been under pressure due to foreign investors pulling out money, weak company earnings, and worries about slower economic growth. A sharp decline in the rupee against the US dollar has further weighed on investor sentiment, leading to more selling. Higher US bond rates and a stronger dollar are also pushing investors away. On top of that, global trade tensions have increased after the US imposed new tariffs, adding to market uncertainty.