Sensex today | Stock Market Highlights: Stock markets end lower amid simmering geopolitical tensions, elevated crude oil prices
Sensex, Nifty, Share Prices Highlights: Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty ended lower on Monday as persistent geopolitical tensions and elevated crude oil prices hampered risk appetite. Investors remained cautious ahead of fresh US sanctions on Iran, experts said.
Sensex ended lower on Friday amid geopolitical tensions and rising crude oil prices. The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 171.72 points, or 0.22%, to 77,369.11. The 50-share NSE Nifty fell 32.95 points, or 0.14%, to 24,219.05. Among the companies within the Sensex, Adani Ports, Bharat Electronics, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, Trent, Axis Bank, State Bank of India, and Tata Consultancy Services lagged.
Winners included Tata Steel, HCL Tech, Infosys, and Hindustan Unilever. Brent crude oil dropped 1.68% to $92.80 per barrel. The rupee opened at 95.65 against the US dollar, reached an intraday high of 95.64 and a low of 95.75 before settling at 95.74, indicating a drop of 3 paise from the previous close. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold equities worth ₹542.71 crore.
The employee reservation portion saw the highest subscription at 1.19 times, followed by Retail Individual Investors at 0.82 times, NII at 0.86 times, and QIB at 0.35 times. Sector-wise, the metal index outperformed, while banking stocks faced significant pressure. Net profit jumped by 82% to ₹19 crore, while Q1 revenue rose by 6.8% year-over-year to ₹830.5 crore.
Non-Institutional Investors (NII) stood at 0.62 times, while Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs) were at 0.43 times their allotted quota of 84,32,000 shares. The sharp rise in gold prices is attributed to its status as a safe-haven asset amid global macroeconomic changes. It is expected to remain supported in the medium term, influenced by factors such as US inflation data, dollar movement, and Federal Reserve interest-rate trajectory.
In India, higher prices may lead consumers to be more value-conscious and selective in their purchases, with a preference for lighter, design-led, and higher-value jewellery over material decline in sentiment. The festive and wedding-buying period is expected to continue supporting demand for gold.
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