Rs 3 lakh crore wiped out! Sensex slumps over 600 points, Nifty below 25,200. What spooked the market today?

Indian equities experienced a sharp decline on Thursday, erasing recent gains as caution set in ahead of the Union Budget. Investors locked in profits and pivoted from global trade optimism to domestic policy risks, leading to a broad-based selloff. Market strategists suggest the recent rally was tactical, with foreign institutional investors maintaining a 'sell India' strategy.