Sensex closed at 77,566.16, down 1,352.74 points or 1.71 per cent, after swinging between an intraday high of 77,711.35 and a low of 76,424.55. Similarly, the Nifty 50 settled at 24,028.05, falling 422.40 points or 1.73 per cent, after hitting an intraday low of 23,697.80
Indian equity markets ended sharply lower on Monday as investors turned cautious amid escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia and surging oil prices, with banking, auto and metal stocks leading the selloff.
The benchmark BSE Sensex closed at 77,566.16, down 1,352.74 points or 1.71 per cent, after swinging between an intraday high of 77,711.35 and a low of 76,424.55. The index had opened sharply lower at 77,056.75 compared with its previous close of 78,918.90.
Similarly, the Nifty 50 settled at 24,028.05, falling 422.40 points or 1.73 per cent, after hitting an intraday low of 23,697.80.
The broader market breadth was weak, with 42 stocks declining and only eight advancing on the Nifty index.
Banking, auto stocks drag markets
Heavyweight financial stocks were among the biggest losers during the session. Shares of State Bank of India dropped around 3.7 per cent, while ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, and Axis Bank fell between 2 and 3 per cent.
Auto stocks also faced heavy selling pressure, with Maruti Suzuki tumbling 4.7 per cent and Mahindra & Mahindra sliding more than 4.5 per cent.
Cement major UltraTech Cement was the worst performer among Sensex constituents, plunging more than 5 per cent, while Larsen & Toubro and Asian Paints declined nearly 3 per cent each.
Metal stocks also weakened as Tata Steel lost nearly 3.8 per cent amid concerns over global growth and commodity demand.
Select IT, energy stocks offer support
Despite the broader weakness, a few heavyweight stocks limited the market’s losses. Shares of Reliance Industries rose about 0.9 per cent, while IT majors Infosys and HCLTech gained modestly.
Other marginal gainers included Sun Pharmaceutical Industries and Tech Mahindra.
Geopolitical tensions weigh on sentiment
Investor sentiment remained fragile as the United States–Iran conflict entered its 10th day, raising concerns about a broader regional escalation.
The conflict, which began after coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, has expanded across multiple West Asian countries including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq and Kuwait. Recent reports indicate Iranian strikes have targeted energy infrastructure in Bahrain, while several Gulf states have activated air defence systems amid fresh attacks.
Rising geopolitical risks have pushed global oil prices sharply higher in recent sessions, fuelling fears of inflationary pressures and slower economic growth.
Analysts warn that sustained disruptions to energy supplies from the region could intensify volatility across global financial markets, particularly for energy-importing economies such as India.
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