62% of stocks down over 25% from their 52-week highs; which one hit you the most?

You may feel relaxed seeing the benchmark indices trading near their 52-week highs. But a closer look at the data shows a different picture, as around 62% of the stocks listed on the exchanges have fallen more than 25% from their respective 52-week highs. The NSE Nifty 50 index touched a 52-week high of around 26,104 on October 23, 2025. Similarly, the Nifty Midcap 150 index scaled its 52-week high of 22,126 on October 28, 2025. On the other hand, the Nifty Smallcap 250 index is trading 6.48% below its 52-week high.

Coming back to the top wealth destroyer, Kesoram Industries tanked the most. Shares of the company plunged 97.82% to Rs 5.15 on October 28, 2025, from its 52-week high of Rs 235.95, reached on December 16, 2024. Vantage Knowledge Academy, Gensol Engineering and AGS Transact Technologies also tanked 97.46%, 96.13% and 95.75% from their respective 52-week high levels.

In general, the Indian equity market remained highly volatile in 2025 due to weak global cues, muted earnings, geopolitical tensions, and continued outflows by foreign institutional investors. Considering the present market scenario, Vikram Kasat, Head Advisory, PL Capital, believes that Nifty may rally 10-11% over the next 12 months, supported by improving macro tailwinds and expanding opportunities for active stock pickers. He likes stocks such as SBI, Tata Steel, IDFC First Bank, Hindustan Aeronautics, JSW Energy, Delhivery and MCX.   The list also highlights that stocks such as Spright Agro, Popees Cares, Harshil Agrotech, Money Masters Leasing & Finance, AF Enterprises, K&R Rail Engineering, and Mercury Trade Links are trading more than 90% below their respective 52-week highs. Some of these names have delivered multibagger returns during the previous bull run. The current market scenario recalls one of Warren Buffett’s most famous quotes: “Only when the tide goes out do you learn who has been swimming naked.”   According to Motilal Oswal Financial Services, the Indian markets have undergone a period of high volatility and healthy consolidation over the past year. As India’s share in global and EM GDP continues to rise, its share in global market capitalisation is also anticipated to follow. The expanding investable universe, with several new-age themes gaining prominence, supported by fiscal and monetary tailwinds and an impending earnings recovery, provides a renewed and constructive outlook for the domestic markets going forward.   “While geopolitical risks remain a key concern in the near term, India’s improving corporate earnings outlook, sustained domestic inflows, superior RoEs among EM peers (at over 15%), and the historically underweight positioning of foreign investors (since 2009), coupled with a weak base in CY24 and CY25 YTD FII flows, suggest a higher likelihood of upside from current levels,” Motilal Oswal Financial Services said in a report.   Data further highlights that companies such as Shankara Building Products, Sadhana Nitro Chem, Noida Toll Bridge Company, Waaree Technologies, Dish TV India, Kamdhenu Ventures, and Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network also declined more than 50% so far from their respective 52-week high levels.   Ajit Mishra-SVP, Research, Religare Broking, said, “We prefer sectors and themes that are moving in sync with or outperforming the benchmark.”