Metal Stocks Under Pressure: Vedanta, Hindustan Zinc, NALCO, Hindustan Copper Fall Up to 5%; Nifty Metal Down

Shares of major non-ferrous metal producers came under pressure on Thursday, May 15, 2026, as investors booked profits after the sharp rally that had propelled metal stocks to record and multi-year highs in recent sessions. The selling was visible across the broader metals space, with frontline counters such as Vedanta Limited, Hindustan Zinc Limited, National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) and Hindustan Copper Limited witnessing notable declines in intraday trade.

Nifty Metal Falls Over 1%; Vedanta, Hindustan Zinc, NALCO and Hindustan Copper Slide

On Friday, the NIFTY Metal declined 149.40 points, or 1.10%, to 13,412.85. The index had closed at 13,562.25 in the previous session and opened higher at 13,628.65 before slipping into negative territory as profit-booking intensified across metal counters.

Vedanta Share Price Today

Shares of Vedanta fell 3.64% to Rs 326.55 on the National Stock Exchange of India by around 11:17 AM IST. The stock opened at Rs 338.90, which also marked the day's high, before declining to an intraday low of Rs 325.00. The move represented a loss of Rs 12.35 per share.

Hindustan Zinc Share Price Today

Hindustan Zinc emerged as one of the steepest losers among large-cap metal stocks. The share price dropped 5.37% to Rs 633.30 by 11:18 AM IST, down Rs 35.95 from the previous close. The stock opened at Rs 659.95, which was also the day's high, and touched an intraday low of Rs 632.55.

NALCO Share Price Today

NALCO shares declined 2.95% to Rs 404.15 by 11:20 AM IST. The stock opened at Rs 416.45 and briefly touched Rs 416.50 before slipping to an intraday low of Rs 403.00. The decline amounted to Rs 12.30 per share.

Hindustan Copper Share Price Today

Hindustan Copper also came under heavy selling pressure. The stock fell 4.44% to Rs 579.50 by 11:20 AM IST, shedding Rs 26.95 from its previous close. It opened at Rs 598.00, which remained the session's high, and touched a low of Rs 574.00.

Why Metal Stocks Are Falling Today

The decline in metal shares appears to be primarily driven by profit-booking after a sustained and powerful rally in the sector. 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.

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