New Delhi, Nov. 25 -- India's stock market is showing signs of contraction. Even as the BSE benchmark Sensex inches closer to its all-time high, many retail investors remain disappointed with their portfolio returns. The reason lies in the broader market weakness, with a large number of stocks still down 20-60% over the past year - clear evidence of a lingering bear-market grip.

Typically, a stock that falls 20% or more is considered to be in bear-market territory, and within the BSE 500 index, over 100 stocks now meet this criterion. This sharp contrast highlights the market's narrowing breadth despite headline indices staying resilient.

According to data from Capitaline, 285 stocks from the BSE 500 pack are trading with cuts. Among th...