Overview

• At 9:16 am, Nifty fell 0.38% to 25,229.70 and Sensex dropped 0.42% to 82,279.92 as IT shares weighed on benchmarks.
• Nifty IT slid roughly 2.6%–3% with Tech Mahindra down nearly 5%–6% and declines of 2%–3% in Infosys, TCS, HCLTech and Wipro.
• USCIS said the fee is a one‑time payment tied to new filings, including the 2026 lottery, with renewals and existing visa holders exempt.
• Reports of initial confusion saw some H‑1B workers rushing back to the U.S., before industry guidance noted the rule does not affect re‑entry for current holders.
• GST 2.0 took effect with simplified 5% and 18% slabs, and strategists highlighted a split setup with IT under pressure and consumption and financials seen benefiting.