Indian stock market meltdown: How Accenture’s warning triggered the selloff

Mumbai: The Indian stock market witnessed a sharp meltdown on Friday as a sudden reversal in sentiment erased gains from the previous five-session rally, with benchmark indices falling sharply and investor wealth declining across sectors.

Accenture triggers IT-led selloff

The immediate spark for the market crash came from Accenture, the global IT services major, which cut the upper end of its FY26 revenue growth guidance and flagged weaker demand conditions.

The update from Accenture rattled global technology sentiment and revived fears of:

• Slowing discretionary tech spending in the US and Europe

• Delayed conversion of deal wins into revenue

• Weak recovery in global IT demand cycle

This triggered a sharp fall in Accenture shares, along with Indian IT ADRs, setting off a domino effect across Dalal Street.

IT stocks lead the meltdown

The Nifty IT index bore the brunt of the selloff and quickly dragged broader markets lower.

Nifty IT crashes intraday

• Fell up to 6.43% (1,831 points) to 26,634

• Remained down nearly 5% during trade

• Worst-performing sector of the day

Heavy losses across IT majors

• Infosys: down 7.4–7.6%

• TCS: down 5.5–5.6%

• HCLTech, Tech Mahindra: down ~4–4.5%

• Wipro: down over 3%

• LTIMindtree, Mphasis, Persistent, Coforge: down 3–5%

Midcap IT stocks also tumbled sharply, deepening the sector-wide correction.

Frontline IT stocks hit multi-year lows

Investor concerns intensified as several blue-chip IT stocks slipped to long-term lows:

• Infosys and Wipro hit 5-year lows

• TCS fell to a near 6-year low

This reflected rising anxiety over earnings visibility and weakening global demand outlook.

Accenture-linked ADR shock amplifies panic

The fall in Indian IT ADRs after Accenture’s guidance cut intensified domestic selling pressure.

• Accenture shares plunged nearly 18% overnight

• Infosys ADRs fell about 10%

• Wipro ADRs declined over 3%

Since ADRs reflect global investor sentiment, the selloff quickly transmitted to Indian markets.

Foreign investors turn net sellers

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold equities worth over ₹1,000 crore, reversing recent inflows.

This renewed concerns over:

• Sustained foreign outflows in 2024–25

• India’s stretched equity valuations

• Rising dependence on domestic liquidity

Profit booking after sharp rally

The correction was also fuelled by profit booking after a strong rally:

• Sensex and Nifty had gained nearly 5% in five sessions

Traders used the rise to lock in gains near resistance levels, accelerating the reversal into a broader selloff.

Weak global cues add pressure

Global markets failed to support domestic sentiment:

• Asian indices traded lower

• Kospi and Hang Seng fell nearly 2%

• Weak US futures signalled caution

This lack of external support deepened selling across Indian equities.

Geopolitical risks and crude volatility persist

Despite earlier optimism from easing tensions, global risks remain elevated:

• Middle East geopolitical uncertainty

• Crude oil price volatility

• Inflation risk for import-dependent economies like India

These factors continue to weigh on investor confidence.

Structural concerns in IT sector deepen

Beyond Accenture’s guidance cut, the IT sector faces multiple headwinds:

• Slower revenue conversion from deal wins

• Client delays in discretionary spending

• Budget tightening in US and Europe

• Uncertainty around AI reshaping outsourcing models

While AI is a long-term opportunity, near-term earnings visibility remains weak.

Market outlook: Correction or deeper trend?

Analysts say the selloff is a mix of external shock and fragile sentiment rather than a standalone event.

Key triggers now under watch:

• US tech spending outlook post-Accenture

• FII flow direction

• Upcoming earnings season

• Geopolitical developments and oil prices

For now, Accenture has acted as the catalyst, but the broader meltdown reflects a convergence of global slowdown fears, profit booking and foreign investor caution.