Mumbai, Jan. 9 -- Key equity benchmarks ended sharply lower for a fifth straight session, with the Nifty closing below 25,700, as investor caution intensified ahead of a US Supreme Court ruling on the legality of American tariffs. An early attempt at a rebound quickly fizzled, with indices turning decisively lower within minutes of the open. Sentiment also remained under pressure amid sustained foreign institutional investor selling, weak global cues and firm crude oil prices. Auto and consumer durables stocks led the decline, while energy, IT and PSU bank shares bucked the trend and closed higher.

The S&P BSE Sensex tumbled 604.72 points or 0.72% to 83,576.24. The Nifty 50 index dropped 193.55 points or 0.75% to 25,683.30. In five conse...