Sensex fell 1,048.34 points, or 1.29 per cent, to settle at 80,238.85 after a volatile session. The broader Nifty 50 declined 312.95 points, or 1.24 per cent, to close at 24,865.70
Indian benchmark indices closed lower on Monday as rising geopolitical tensions in West Asia dented investor sentiment and triggered broad-based selling across sectors.
The 30-share BSE Sensex fell 1,048.34 points, or 1.29 per cent, to settle at 80,238.85 after a volatile session. The index had opened sharply lower and briefly slipped below the 79,000 mark before recovering some ground in late trade.
The broader Nifty 50 declined 312.95 points, or 1.24 per cent, to close at 24,865.70. Market breadth remained weak, with 42 of the 50 index constituents ending in the red.
Heavyweights under pressure
Losses were led by capital goods, financials and auto stocks. Larsen & Toubro dropped over 5 per cent, while InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo) slumped nearly 6 per cent. Reliance Industries fell more than 2 per cent, adding significant weight to the benchmarks.
Banking stocks such as Axis Bank, State Bank of India and Kotak Mahindra Bank also ended lower, reflecting caution among investors amid heightened global uncertainty. IT majors Infosys, TCS and HCLTech declined up to 1.4 per cent.
Automakers were among the worst hit, with Maruti Suzuki and Mahindra & Mahindra losing over 2–3 per cent each.
Select defensives buck trend
In an otherwise weak market, a handful of defensive and commodity-linked counters saw buying interest. Bharat Electronics rose over 2 per cent, while Sun Pharma and ITC posted modest gains. ONGC and Hindalco Industries were also among the top gainers on the Nifty.
Geopolitical concerns weigh
Investor sentiment remained fragile amid escalating tensions in West Asia, which have raised concerns over potential disruptions to global energy supplies and capital flows. Market participants said risk-off sentiment was visible across emerging markets, with foreign portfolio investors turning cautious.
Sustained volatility in crude oil prices and any further escalation in the region could keep markets on edge in the near term.
The selloff comes amid intensifying conflict between the United States and Iran following coordinated US–Israeli airstrikes that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Former US President Donald Trump has warned the conflict could last four to five weeks and cautioned that further casualties are likely.
Iran has named Ayatollah Alireza Arafi as interim Supreme Leader, while military operations continue across key regions. The escalating hostilities have injected fresh uncertainty into global financial markets, pushing investors toward safer assets and triggering risk-off sentiment in equities.
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