Sensex Ends Lower Amid Global Tensions, Nifty Extends Decline To 4th Day

Indian equity markets ended lower on Friday as rising crude oil prices and the prolonged US-Iran standoff kept investors cautious, pushing the benchmark Nifty into its fourth consecutive session of losses.

The 30-share BSE Sensex fell 70.71 points, or 0.09 per cent, to settle at 78,009.25. The index remained under pressure through most of the session and slipped as much as 395.59 points, or 0.50 per cent, to 77,684.37.

The NSE Nifty declined 29.85 points, or 0.12 per cent, to close at 24,366, extending its losing streak to four sessions.

The subdued mood was largely driven by concerns over elevated oil prices and continuing geopolitical uncertainty. Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose 0.17 per cent to USD 87.15 a barrel, keeping investors alert to the potential impact of higher energy costs on inflation and corporate earnings.

Among Sensex constituents, Asian Paints, InterGlobe Aviation, NTPC, Power Grid, State Bank of India and HCL Technologies were among the major laggards. On the other hand, Bharti Airtel, Adani Ports, ICICI Bank and Titan ended with gains, providing some support to the broader market.

The cautious domestic trend came despite a largely positive global backdrop. South Korea’s Kospi, Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Shanghai’s SSE Composite finished higher, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng ended lower. European markets were mostly trading in positive territory, while US stocks had closed higher on Thursday.

Foreign investors continued to remain cautious. Foreign Institutional Investors sold equities worth ₹510.69 crore on Thursday, according to exchange data, adding to concerns over sustained foreign outflows.

The previous session had offered little relief. While late buying helped the Sensex gain 113.61 points, the Nifty fell 40.10 points, marking its third consecutive decline.

With crude prices elevated and geopolitical tensions still unresolved, investors are likely to closely track global developments, foreign fund flows and oil movements in the coming sessions.