<h1>Foreign selling, heavy bank-stock drops, high short interest threaten markets despite domestic buying and central bank support</h1> Benchmark equity indices fell in early trade due to sustained foreign institutional investor sell-offs and heavy selling in major banking stocks, while domestic institutional investors bought on net; significant short positions raise market risk and could pressure bullish investors. Central bank credit-support measures may bolster bank-sector momentum but may be insufficient amid continued offshore selling. The dynamics-large cross-border equity outflows, concentrated sectoral declines, and elevated short interest-heighten regulatory and market-stability risks, potentially triggering heightened surveillance, disclosure scrutiny, or intervention by securities and banking regulators.