Major non-ferrous metal producers experienced significant selling pressure on Thursday, May 15, 2026, as investors engaged in profit-booking activities following a sharp rally that had propelled metal stocks to record and multi-year highs in recent sessions. According to latest market data, the NIFTY Metal declined 149.40 points, or 1.10%, to 13,412.85 on Friday, with the index having closed at 13,562.25 in the previous session. The index opened higher at 13,628.65 before slipping into negative territory as profit-booking intensified across metal counters. As per Economic Times, the NIFTY Metal is currently trading at 13,300.60, representing a 1.93% decline from the previous day's closing value of 13,562.25.
Vedanta Limited shares fell 3.64% to ₹326.55 on the National Stock Exchange of India by around 11:17 AM IST, representing a loss of ₹12.35 per share. The stock opened at ₹338.90, which also marked the day's high, before declining to an intraday low of ₹325.00. Hindustan Zinc Limited emerged as one of the steepest losers among large-cap metal stocks, with shares dropping 5.37% to ₹633.30 by 11:18 AM IST, down ₹35.95 from the previous close. The stock opened at ₹659.95, which was also the day's high, and touched an intraday low of ₹632.55. National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) shares declined 2.95% to ₹404.15 by 11:20 AM IST, with the stock opening at ₹416.45 and briefly touching ₹416.50 before slipping to an intraday low of ₹403.00, amounting to a decline of ₹12.30 per share. Hindustan Copper Limited also came under heavy selling pressure, falling 4.44% to ₹579.50 by 11:20 AM IST, shedding ₹26.95 from its previous close. It opened at ₹598.00, which remained the session's high, and touched a low of ₹574.00.
The decline in metal shares appears to be primarily driven by profit-booking after a sustained and powerful rally in the sector, as reported by Goodreturns. Stocks linked to zinc, aluminium and copper had delivered strong gains in recent sessions as investors responded to higher global metal prices, tightening supply conditions and expectations of stronger earnings for commodity producers. After such a rapid advance, short-term traders often lock in profits, particularly when stocks approach record highs or become technically overbought, contributing to the current selling pressure across the metals sector. According to Economic Times, the NIFTY Metal has generated impressive returns of 44.41% over the past year, demonstrating the sector's strong performance trajectory before the recent profit-booking activity.
