Indian benchmark indices witnessed a subdued start to trading on Thursday, reflecting weakness across international markets and concerns surrounding geopolitical developments in West Asia.
The BSE Sensex dropped 410 points, or 0.55 per cent, to open at 73,935.83, while the NSE Nifty lost more than 100 points in early deals.
Selling pressure was visible across several sectors during the opening session.
The Nifty Realty index slipped 0.67 per cent, while Nifty IT registered a decline of 0.53 per cent. Shares in the pharmaceutical and healthcare segments also moved lower by up to 0.5 per cent.
A few sectors managed to remain positive despite the broader weakness.
Consumer Durables, Oil & Gas, Cement, and Chemicals indices recorded modest gains during morning trade. Trent, Eicher Motors, Cipla, Infosys, and HDFC Bank featured among the biggest laggards on the Nifty index. These stocks recorded declines of up to 1 per cent as investors remained cautious.
Market experts stated that short-term risks continue to dominate investor sentiment.
Continued geopolitical instability in West Asia and persistent foreign portfolio investor withdrawals are creating headwinds for domestic equities.
Analysts observed that stronger momentum in markets such as the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan may encourage overseas investors to allocate funds outside India. They suggested maintaining a cautious stance until market conditions become more stable.
Developments in West Asia remained a key focus for investors.
Reports indicated progress towards a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. Concerns over broader regional tensions continued to affect market confidence.
At the same time, oil prices moved lower in international markets. Brent crude declined by 1.33 per cent to $96.50 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude fell 1.31 per cent to $94.76 per barrel.
Equity markets across Asia traded under pressure, with Japan’s Nikkei, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, South Korea’s KOSPI, and Indonesia’s Jakarta Composite posting losses of up to 3 per cent.
In the United States, Wall Street closed lower overnight. The S&P 500 fell 0.74 per cent, while the Nasdaq ended the session down 0.9 per cent.
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