Indian stock markets plummeted as escalating tensions in West Asia and soaring crude oil prices triggered a sell-off, impacting investor confidence and leading to significant declines in the Sensex and Nifty.
Sensex and Nifty50 Performance: Key Market Highlights Today
- Sensex and Nifty sharply declined due to ongoing tensions in West Asia and surging crude oil prices.
- Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities, contributing to the market's bearish trend.
- Rising crude oil prices and a weakening rupee are raising concerns about India's economic growth.
- The BSE benchmark plunged significantly in the 2025-26 financial year, reflecting investor anxiety.
- Global market volatility, particularly in Asian and US markets, influenced the Indian stock market's performance.
Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended the last trading session of the 2025-26 fiscal year sharply lower on Monday as the ongoing war in West Asia and surging crude oil prices kept investors' sentiment fragile.
Weak trends in Asian markets and unabated foreign fund outflows also added to the bearish trend in domestic equities.
Declining for the second day in a row, the 30-share BSE Sensex tumbled 1,635.67 points or 2.22 per cent to settle at 71,947.55. During the day, it plunged 1,809.09 points or 2.45 per cent to 71,774.13.
The 50-share NSE Nifty slumped 488.20 points or 2.14 per cent to end at 22,331.40.
From the 30-Sensex firms, Bajaj Finance, State Bank of India, InterGlobe Aviation, Bajaj Finserv, Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank were among the biggest laggards.
On the other hand, Tech Mahindra and Power Grid were the gainers.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, jumped 2.18 per cent to USD 115.1 per barrel.
In the 2025-26 financial year, the BSE benchmark plunged 5,467.37 points, or 7 per cent, and the Nifty dropped 1,187.95 points, or 5 per cent.
Global Market Influences
In Asian markets, South Korea's benchmark Kospi and Japan's Nikkei 225 index plunged nearly 3 per cent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index also settled lower, while Shanghai's SSE Composite index ended in positive territory.
Markets in Europe were trading marginally higher.
The US market ended significantly lower on Friday. The Nasdaq Composite index tanked 2.15 per cent, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.73 per cent and the S&P 500 declined by 1.67 per cent.
Analyst Commentary
"Indian equities extended their decline, with benchmark indices falling over 2 per cent, underscoring a deepening sell-off sentiment driven by persistent global uncertainties and rising crude oil prices," Hariprasad K, Research Analyst and Founder, Livelong Wealth, said.
Foreign Investment Trends
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 4,367.30 crore on Friday, according to exchange data. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs), however, bought stocks worth Rs 3,566.15 crore.
Foreign investors have pulled out Rs 1.14 lakh crore (about USD 12.3 billion) from domestic equities in March, making it the worst monthly outflow, weighed down by escalating tensions in West Asia, a weakening rupee and concerns over the impact of elevated crude oil prices on India's growth.
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