Indian equities opened lower on Friday amid weak international signals, with high crude prices adding pressure on sentiment. Sensex declined 180.20 points (0.23%) to 77,483.80, and Nifty fell 72.50 points (0.30%) to 24,100.55 at the opening bell.
The IT sector bore the brunt of the selloff, topping the list of sectoral decliners. Nifty Pharma, Healthcare, Services, Private Bank, Metal, and FMCG indices also opened negative. On the flip side, Nifty India Defence, Realty, Energy, Auto, PSU Bank, and Commodity sectors started positively.
Sensex gainers featured SBI, M&M, Bajaj Finserv, NTPC, Kotak Mahindra Bank, HUL, Indigo, L&T, and Bajaj Finance. Red marks appeared on HCL Tech, Infosys, Sun Pharma, TCS, Bharti Airtel, Power Grid, ICICI Bank, Titan, ITC, Trent, BEL, Eternal, HDFC Bank, and Tech Mahindra.
Broader markets displayed a patchy picture: Nifty Midcap 100 climbed 0.14% or 85.55 points to 60,038.35, but Nifty Smallcap 100 dipped 27 points to 17,693.
Most Asian bourses traded lower, except Tokyo which was up. Shanghai, Hong Kong, Seoul, Jakarta, and Bangkok saw declines. Thursday’s US session ended weakly, with Dow down 0.36% at 49,310.32 and Nasdaq off 0.89% at 24,438.50.
Skyrocketing oil prices, linked to Hormuz Strait disruptions, are weighing on global markets including India. Brent crude reached $106/barrel, WTI $96/barrel.
Market participants remain cautious, balancing geopolitical risks with domestic earnings season. The session’s direction could hinge on crude movements and any fresh global triggers, potentially setting the tone for the week ahead.
