The Nifty PSU Bank index dropped about 1.7% in Wednesday’s trade, snapping its recent winning streak after a sharp run-up of nearly 70% over the past year and around 20% in the last two months. Profit-booking, stretched valuations and cautious global risk sentiment dragged frontline state-run lenders lower.
Profit-taking hits high-flying PSU pack
After emerging as one of Dalal Street’s strongest trades in 2025, state-run banks faced broad-based selling as traders locked in gains near record highs. Heavyweights such as Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank and State Bank of India all slipped intraday, pulling the sectoral index into the red even as the broader market remained range-bound.
Key highlights
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Nifty PSU Bank index falls around 1.7%, underperforming Nifty 50 amid mild weakness across financials.
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Bank of Baroda, PNB, Union Bank, Canara Bank and Bank of India among top laggards, with cuts of 1–3% as traders book profits after outsized recent gains.
The index had rallied nearly 70% over the past year and about 20% in the last two months, supported by record PSU-bank profitability and hopes of more dividends, buybacks and IPOs of subsidiaries.
Analysts say the correction is healthy, flagging elevated valuations and concentrated F&O positioning but maintaining a constructive view on medium-term credit growth and asset-quality trends.
Historically, Nifty PSU Bank has swung sharply in December; past data show both double-digit rises and steep corrections, so volatility may stay high into year-end.
Sources: Moneycontrol PSU-bank market report