Indian equity benchmarks snapped their three-day winning streak on April 22, declining nearly 1 percent amid selling pressure in IT heavyweights and continued uncertainty surrounding geopolitical developments.

Tracking weak global cues, the indices opened sharply lower, with the Sensex dropping over 250 points and the Nifty slipping below the 24,500 mark. Selling pressure intensified during the session, dragging the Nifty to an intraday low of 24,352.90.

However, losses were partially pared as buying interest emerged in select pockets, particularly in FMCG, realty, and metal stocks, helping the market recover from the day’s lows.

At close, the Sensex was down 756.84 points or 0.95 percent at 78,516.49, and the Nifty was down 198.5 points or 0.81 percent at 24,378.10.

Broader indices outperformed with Nifty Midcap index rising 0.2%, while smallcap index gaining more than 1%.

Biggest losers on the Nifty were HCL Technologies, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, TCS, M&M, while gainers included Tata Consumer Products, Hindustan Unilever, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, NTPC, Hindalco Industries.

Among sectors, IT index shed nearly 4%, Private Bank index fell 0.7%, while Oil & Gas, FMCG, Media, Metal, Realty added 0.5% each.

Nearly 150 stocks touched their 52-week high on the BSE, including ABB India, Data Patterns, Adani Energy, Adani Power, Siemens, CG Power, Welspun Corp, NTPC, Nestle, HFCL, Granules India, JSW Energy, Hitachi Energy, Torrent Power, Lloyds Metals, Bank of Maharashtra, Aurobindo Pharma, AU Small Finance Bank, Tata Power, SAIL, among others.

In stock-specific action, Sunteck Realty share price added 4.5% post Q4 earnings. Shares of HCL Technologies fell nearly 11% after the company posted weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings, while Aurobindo Pharma jumped 2% following a ?800 crore buyback announcement.

Cyient DLM gained 4.5% despite reporting a 27.7% drop in Q4 net profit, whereas Tata Elxsi slipped 6% even after reporting better-than-expected earnings.

Meanwhile, PNC Infratech surged 7% after emerging as the lowest bidder for two highway projects, and BEML advanced 3% after securing an order worth ?590 crore and Premier Explosives share price jumped 7% on bagging order worth Rs 350.2 crore.