Nifty Auto today: Index falls 0.50% in opening trade

Quick sector takeaways

• Nifty Auto was down 0.50% at 25,463.25 in the early session on 21 October 2026, compared with its previous close of 25,591.25.
• The index traded between 25,448.00 and 25,743.85, after opening at 25,652.95.
• Market breadth was weak: 3 stocks advanced while 12 declined among the sector’s 15 stocks.
• Tube Investments of India, Bharat Forge and Eicher Motors were among the sharper decliners, while Hero MotoCorp led the gainers. The key watchpoint is whether the index holds close to its session low.

Nifty Auto today reflects early-session pressure across a broad set of automobile-linked stocks. Prices in this update are as of 21 October 2026 at 10:00:00 AM IST.

Nifty Auto today: Early-session movement

Nifty Auto declined 128.00 points, or 0.50%, from the previous close of 25,591.25 to 25,463.25. The index opened at 25,652.95, initially moving above the previous close before reaching an intraday high of 25,743.85. It subsequently moved lower and was trading only 15.25 points above the day low of 25,448.00 at the time of this update.

This places the index below both its opening level and its previous close in the opening phase. The move is an index-level reading of the sector, while stock performance within Nifty Auto remained mixed rather than uniform.

Price snapshot

The intraday range so far is 295.85 points. The current level is near the lower end of that range, an observation that frames the opening session without indicating a directional outcome for the rest of the day.

Sector ranking across India’s NSE sector indices

Nifty Auto is the second top losing sector index in this early-session reading. It is down 0.50%, matching the percentage decline in Nifty Mid Select, while Nifty Metal has a smaller fall of 0.27%. The complete comparison below is ordered from the strongest gain to the steepest fall.

• Nifty IT: +2.41%.
• Nifty Bank: +0.15%.
• Nifty Pharma: +0.14%.
• Nifty FMCG: +0.11%.
• Nifty Financial Services: +0.04%.
• Nifty Metal: -0.27%.
• Nifty Auto: -0.50%.
• Nifty Mid Select: -0.50%.

The contrast is clear: IT led the gains, several indices held modestly positive territory, and the auto index remained among the weakest readings. Investors tracking cross-sector rotation can follow the wider market context through Univest Market View.

Constituent breadth

Breadth within Nifty Auto was tilted decisively lower. Of the 15 stocks in the sector, 12 declined and 3 advanced, with no unchanged stocks. That translates to one advancing stock for every four declining stocks.

The breadth reading matters because the index decline was accompanied by weakness across most of its stocks rather than being limited to a small group. At the same time, the presence of three gainers shows that the sector was not moving in a single direction.

Heavyweights versus broader participation

Among the sector heavyweights, Mahindra & Mahindra fell 0.59% to Rs. 2,889.80, Maruti Suzuki India slipped 0.08% to Rs. 11,466.00, Bajaj Auto declined 0.20% to Rs. 10,266.00 and Eicher Motors lost 1.01% to Rs. 7,274.50. Tata Motors was an exception, edging up 0.11% to Rs. 278.30.

The named active stocks also included Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki India, Tata Motors, Bajaj Auto and Eicher Motors. Their mixed moves, alongside the negative breadth, underline the difference between individual stock resilience and the overall sector reading.

Key Nifty Auto stocks

Biggest positive movers

Hero MotoCorp led the positive side with a 0.32% gain to Rs. 5,246.50. Tata Motors added 0.11% to Rs. 278.30, while Samvardhana Motherson International rose 0.04% to Rs. 158.22. Hero MotoCorp traded between Rs. 5,219.50 and Rs. 5,323.00, showing a wider intraday range than the other two gainers.

Biggest negative movers

Tube Investments of India was down 1.28% to Rs. 2,142.20, followed by Bharat Forge, down 1.20% to Rs. 1,777.00. Eicher Motors fell 1.01%, TVS Motor Company declined 0.92%, and Balkrishna Industries was lower by 0.86%. These five names were the largest percentage decliners in the sector at the time of the update.

Stocks to watch next session

Watch Tube Investments of India after its 1.28% decline and Bharat Forge after its 1.20% fall. Eicher Motors and TVS Motor Company also merit attention following declines of more than 0.90%. On the positive side, Hero MotoCorp and Tata Motors stand out because they remained higher while the overall index was lower. These are watchlist observations, not investment recommendations.

The constructive case

There are constructive elements within the early reading despite the index decline. Three stocks were positive, led by Hero MotoCorp’s 0.32% advance. Tata Motors and Samvardhana Motherson International also held gains. Nifty Auto had earlier reached 25,743.85 after the open, demonstrating that the index traded above its previous close during the session.

The index also remains 15.25 points above its day low at the stated time. That distance is small, but it establishes a clear level for readers monitoring the next phase of trade.

The cautious case

The cautious reading comes from the combination of a 0.50% index decline, a position near the session low and negative breadth of 12 decliners against 3 advancers. The move was also weaker than Nifty Metal’s 0.27% fall and contrasted with gains in Nifty IT, Bank, Pharma, FMCG and Financial Services.

Several notable sector stocks were lower at once, including Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki India, Bajaj Auto and Eicher Motors. The sector’s next movement will determine whether the opening weakness broadens or whether individual gainers provide a counterbalance.

Univest Insights

Nifty Auto today is an early-session picture of broad pressure rather than a completely one-sided stock market move. The index’s fall from the opening level of 25,652.95 to 25,463.25, alongside 12 declining stocks, puts the focus on participation as much as on the headline percentage change.

The comparison with other indices adds perspective. Nifty IT’s 2.41% gain was the session’s standout move, whereas Nifty Auto was among the weakest. The gap highlights differing sector-level performance during the opening session without assigning a cause to that divergence.

Within auto stocks, the contrast between Tube Investments of India, Bharat Forge and Eicher Motors on the downside and Hero MotoCorp, Tata Motors and Samvardhana Motherson International on the upside is important. Monitoring whether this split narrows can offer a cleaner view of participation later in the session.

For the next session, the specific reading to watch is whether Nifty Auto remains above its day low of 25,448.00 and whether breadth improves from 3 advancers versus 12 decliners.

Published on 21 October 2026 at 10:05 AM IST

Frequently asked questions

What is the Nifty Auto level today?

Nifty Auto was at 25,463.25 at 10:00:00 AM IST on 21 October 2026.

How much is Nifty Auto down today?

Nifty Auto was lower by 128.00 points, or 0.50%, from its previous close of 25,591.25.

What were Nifty Auto’s day high and day low?

The day high was 25,743.85 and the day low was 25,448.00.

Which Nifty Auto stock gained the most today?

Hero MotoCorp was the top gainer, rising 0.32% to Rs. 5,246.50.

Which Nifty Auto stock fell the most today?

Tube Investments of India was the top loser, declining 1.28% to Rs. 2,142.20.

How was Nifty Auto market breadth today?

Market breadth showed 3 advancing stocks, 12 declining stocks and no unchanged stocks.