Sensex Falls 829 Points, Nifty 50 Touches 10-Month Low; Nifty Auto at 6-Month Low

Market Update at 04:05 PM: India’s key equity benchmarks, the Nifty 50 and the Sensex, declined nearly 1 per cent on Thursday, March 12, extending the previous session’s fall. The decline came as crude oil prices surged amid escalating Middle East tensions and trade worries resurfaced after the U.S. launched fresh investigations into 16 major trading partners, including India.

The benchmark Nifty 50 opened 192 points lower and remained below the 23,800 mark, briefly touching an Intraday high of 23,833. During the session, the Nifty 50 index also hit its 10-month low. At the close, the Nifty 50 declined by 227.70 points, or 0.95 per cent, to settle at 23,639.15.

The Sensex dropped by 829.29 points, or 1.08 per cent, to close at 76,034.42. Meanwhile, the Bank Nifty ended lower by 634 points at 55,100.95. Market volatility also increased, with the Indian fear gauge, India VIX, rising by 2 per cent.

Investor sentiment weakened further after Washington launched unfair-trade investigations into 16 countries, including India, in a move aimed at reinstating U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff pressure.

Export-linked sectors were among the worst hit. Stocks in textiles, auto ancillaries, and gems and jewellery declined during the session. Online food delivery companies also slipped, with Swiggy and Eternal trading up to 5 per cent lower during the day.

On the sectoral front, 3 out of the 11 key sectoral indices ended in positive territory. Broader markets also remained under pressure, with the Nifty Midcap index falling 0.37 per cent and the Nifty Smallcap 100 index declining 0.67 per cent.

Among sectoral performers, the Nifty Energy index emerged as the top gainer, rising 1.93 per cent and recording its biggest gains in the last one month. The surge was driven by rising electricity demand due to early summer conditions, increased use of electric appliances, and an ongoing LPG crisis.

On the other hand, the Nifty Auto index was the worst performer among sectoral indices, falling 3.19 per cent and extending its previous decline by over 6 per cent. The fall was mainly attributed to heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which raised concerns over a potential natural gas shortage and pushed crude oil prices above USD 100 per barrel.

Among individual stocks, NTPC Green Energy share price surged nearly 19 per cent amid a sharp rise in electricity demand and an improving sector outlook. Enviro Infra Engineers share price gained 4.5 per cent after the company secured a Rs 400 crore project in Bihar. Aarti Industries share price also rose 3.73 per cent after the company secured a USD 150 million agrochemical supply contract.

In terms of index contributors, Coal India added 11.62 points to the Nifty 50, followed by NTPC with 11.09 points and Power Grid Corporation of India with 4.75 points. On the downside, ICICI Bank dragged the index the most, pulling it down by 44.00 points. Larsen & Toubro weighed on the index by 30.71 points, while Mahindra & Mahindra reduced it by 26.82 points.

Market breadth remained weak during the session. As of March 12, 2026, out of 3,302 stocks traded on the NSE, 1,238 advanced, while 1,966 declined and 98 remained unchanged.

A total of 31 stocks hit their 52-week highs, whereas 323 stocks touched their 52-week lows. Additionally, 63 stocks were locked in their Upper Circuits, while 75 stocks were locked in Lower Circuits.

Market Update at 2:34 PM: The Indian equity benchmark indices extended their losses in trade as Brent crude prices surged above the crucial mark of USD 100 per barrel amid the ongoing U.S.–Iran war.

The Nifty 50 was trading 0.63 per cent or 151.15 points lower at 23,715.70 as of 14:30 on March 12, 2026, while the Sensex declined 0.72 per cent or 554.60 points to 76,309.11.

Among the Nifty 50 constituents, Eternal, InterGlobe Aviation, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, and Larsen & Toubro emerged as the Top Losers.

Broader markets underperformed the benchmark indices. The Nifty MidCap index was trading 1.70 per cent lower, while the Nifty SmallCap index was down 1.74 per cent.

On the sectoral front, the Nifty Auto index was the worst-performing sectoral index. The Nifty Consumer Durables and the Nifty Realty indices also underperformed the broader market.

Meanwhile, the Nifty IT index emerged as the top-performing sector with comparatively lower losses.

In the commodities market, Brent crude prices jumped nearly 8 per cent to USD 100.18 per barrel during the Asia session as investors assessed whether emergency oil releases could offset supply disruptions caused by the ongoing U.S.–Iran conflict.

Brent’s May futures contract was trading 7.47 per cent higher at USD 99.94 per barrel.

Market Update at 09:33 AM: The Indian equity benchmark indices extended their losses in early trade as Brent crude prices surged above the crucial mark of USD 100 per barrel amid the ongoing U.S.–Iran war.

The Nifty 50 was trading 1.22 per cent or 299.45 points lower at 23,567.15, while the Sensex declined 1.27 per cent or 972.99 points to 75,890.72.

Among the Nifty 50 constituents, Eternal, InterGlobe Aviation, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, and Larsen & Toubro emerged as the top losers.

Broader markets underperformed the benchmark indices. The Nifty MidCap index was trading 1.70 per cent lower, while the Nifty SmallCap index was down 1.74 per cent.

On the sectoral front, the Nifty Auto index was the worst-performing sectoral index. The Nifty Consumer Durables and the Nifty Realty indices also underperformed the broader market.

Meanwhile, the Nifty IT index emerged as the top-performing sector with comparatively lower losses.

In the commodities market, Brent crude prices jumped nearly 8 per cent to USD 100.18 per barrel during the Asia session as investors assessed whether emergency oil releases could offset supply disruptions caused by the ongoing U.S.–Iran conflict.

Brent’s May futures contract was trading 7.47 per cent higher at USD 99.94 per barrel.

Pre-Market Update at 7:53 AM: The Indian stock market benchmark indices, the BSE Sensex and the Nifty 50, are expected to open lower on Thursday amid weak global cues and rising geopolitical tensions that have pushed crude oil prices sharply higher. Concerns over potential supply disruptions in the Middle East have kept global investors cautious, adding pressure on equity markets.

Crude oil prices surged on Thursday after reports that two tankers were attacked in Iraqi waters, intensifying fears of supply disruptions. The attacks come as the conflict involving the U.S. and Israel against Iran entered its thirteenth consecutive day, keeping global markets on edge over possible interruptions to Middle East oil flows.

Global markets remained cautious as escalating tensions in the U.S.–Iran war pushed crude oil prices sharply higher, raising fresh concerns about global inflation and economic growth. Asian markets traded lower on Thursday, while U.S. markets ended mixed overnight after inflation data came broadly in line with expectations.

As of 7:25 am, GIFTY Nifty was trading around the 24,782 level, at a discount of nearly 130 points from the Nifty futures’ previous close, indicating a negative start for the Indian stock market indices.

Asian equities traded lower following weakness on Wall Street and rising oil prices. Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined 1.6 per cent, while the TOPIX slipped 1.34 per cent. South Korea’s Kospi dropped 0.75 per cent, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index declined by 0.71 per cent.

The conflict between the United States and Iran continues to escalate. U.S. President Donald Trump stated that military operations would continue until the objectives are achieved. Iran has warned that global oil prices could surge to USD 200 per barrel amid attacks on tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route.

Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.3 per cent in February after increasing 0.2 per cent in January. On a yearly basis, inflation remained steady at 2.4 per cent, broadly matching market expectations.

The International Energy Agency announced plans to release 400 million barrels of oil from its emergency reserves to stabilise supply disruptions caused by the conflict.

U.S. Treasury yields climbed as higher crude prices revived inflation concerns and reduced expectations for interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. The two-year yield rose to 3.632 per cent, while the benchmark 10-year yield increased to 4.206 per cent.

The U.S. Dollar Index strengthened slightly to 99.36 as investors moved toward safer assets amid geopolitical tensions.

From the derivatives perspective, the Put–Call Ratio (PCR) stands near 0.62, reflecting a cautious market bias. Options data highlights significant call open interest at the 24,300 strike with around 82,100 contracts, marking it as a strong resistance level. Meanwhile, the 23,500 strike holds nearly 55,630 put open interest, reinforcing it as a key support base.

For Thursday’s session, Sammaan Capital and SAIL will remain under the futures and options (F&O) ban list.

On March 11, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers, selling equities worth Rs 6,267.31 crore. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs), on the other hand, bought shares worth Rs 4,965.53 crore during the same session. FIIs have now remained net sellers for the last nine consecutive trading sessions.

On Wednesday, Indian equities witnessed sharp selling pressure due to profit booking and caution surrounding the Middle East conflict. The BSE Sensex fell 1,342.27 points, or 1.72 per cent, to close at 76,863.71. Meanwhile, the Nifty 50 declined 394.75 points, or 1.63 per cent, to settle at 23,866.85.

U.S. markets ended mixed as investors balanced inflation data with geopolitical risks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 289.24 points to 47,417.27, while the S&P 500 declined slightly to 6,775.80. The Nasdaq Composite edged higher to 22,716.14.

Among major stocks, Nvidia, AMD and Intel posted gains, while Microsoft slipped slightly. Shares of Tesla rallied, and Oracle surged more than 9 per cent following strong growth expectations.

Gold fell below USD 5,150 per ounce on Thursday, sliding for the second consecutive session as surging oil prices heightened inflationary risks and reduced the likelihood of central bank interest rate cuts. As of 7:08 am, spot prices dropped 0.26 per cent to USD 5,162 per ounce, while silver prices declined 0.43 per cent to USD 85.3 per ounce.

Brent crude futures climbed above USD 95 per barrel on Thursday, rising for the second consecutive session as persistent concerns over the Iran war overshadowed the coordinated release of oil reserves by major economies. Brent futures jumped to USD 95.09 per barrel at 7:11 am, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude traded higher at USD 90.94.

Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.