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Thursday, March 12, 2026

12/03/26, market in the opening

 Indian equity markets opened sharply lower by more than 1 percent each on Thursday, extending the previous session's losses amid rising crude oil prices, persistent foreign institutional selling, and weak global cues.

At 09:17 am, the Sensex was down 946 points or 1.2 percent at 75,918, while the Nifty slipped 296 points or 1.2 percent to 23,571, falling further below the 24,000 mark amid broad-based selling. Market breadth remained weak with 1,707 shares declining against 633 advances on the NSE.

The sharp fall followed a weak close in the previous session, when the Sensex had dropped 1,342 points and the Nifty lost nearly 395 points, dragged by heavy selling across sectors.

Global cues also remained negative. Asian equities declined on Thursday as oil prices jumped after reports that additional ships were struck in the Strait of Hormuz and Iraqi waters, raising fears of supply disruptions and fuelling inflation concerns worldwide.

Oil prices surged again, with Brent crude rising about 9 percent to around $100 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude climbed nearly 9 percent to around $95, despite the International Energy Agency announcing the largest coordinated release of emergency oil reserves in history.

US markets had also closed lower overnight. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.61 percent, while the S&P 500 declined slightly and the Nasdaq Composite edged marginally higher, as investors focused on the escalating conflict linked to the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Gainers and losers on NSE, BSE in opening trade

Back home, banking and financial stocks were among the major drags. The Nifty Bank index fell around 1.7 percent to 54,786, while the Nifty Private Bank index dropped a similar 1.7 percent.

Among Nifty constituents, ICICI Bank stock declined about 2.6 percent, while Kotak Mahindra Bank slipped around 1.7 percent. Other losers included InterGlobe Aviation, Larsen & Toubro, Tata Steel, Shriram Finance, and JSW Steel, which fell between 1.5 percent and 3 percent.

Sectorally, losses were widespread. The Nifty Auto index dropped over 2 percent, while the Nifty PSU Bank index declined about 2 percent. The Nifty Midcap 100 index fell around 1.7 percent, and the Nifty Smallcap 100 index slipped nearly 1.8 percent, reflecting weakness across broader markets.

Volatility also increased, with the India VIX rising nearly 5 percent to 22.07, indicating heightened nervousness among investors.

Crude oil prices, geopolitical uncertainty drag Indian markets

Analysts said the resurgence in crude prices and geopolitical uncertainty has pushed the market into a weaker zone. “External headwinds have pushed the market into a weak zone. With the war continuing and Brent crude again bouncing back to $100 levels, the weakness is likely to persist,” said VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments.

Institutional flows also remain a key concern. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) extended their selling streak to nine consecutive sessions, offloading equities worth Rs 6,267 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) continued to provide support, purchasing shares worth Rs 4,965 crore in the previous session.

Technical analysts said the Nifty is now approaching a crucial support zone. According to Shrikant Chouhan, Head of Equity Research at Kotak Securities, as long as the index trades below 24,000, market sentiment is likely to remain weak. On the downside, the 23,700 level could be retested, with a further fall potentially dragging the index toward the 23,600-23,550 zone.

Despite the near-term volatility, analysts note that geopolitical shocks historically tend to have only temporary impacts on markets, and investors may look for opportunities to accumulate high-quality stocks during periods of correction.
Report by Shareen Agrawal 
source:MoneyControl

Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, not of us.  We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.


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