Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty suffered a sharp sell-off on Thursday, with both plunging more than 3 per cent as surging crude oil prices, weak global cues and escalating attacks on energy infrastructure in West Asia triggered a broad-based market rout. The fall was especially severe in financials, autos and industrials, while ONGC stood out as the only gainer in the Nifty50.The BSE Sensex tanked 2,496.89 points, or 3.26 per cent, to close at 74,207.24 — its biggest single-day fall since June 2024 and its lowest level since April 7, 2025. The NSE Nifty slumped 775.65 points, or 3.26 per cent, to end at 23,002.15, wiping out the gains of the previous three sessions.
Nifty50 losers
| Company Name | Current Price (Rs) | Price Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shriram Finance | 949.80 | -71.81 | -7.03% |
| Eternal | 228.74 | -13.80 | -5.69% |
| Bajaj Finance | 832.20 | -47.90 | -5.45% |
| HDFC Bank | 798.20 | -44.85 | -5.32% |
| M&M | 3,045 | -169.00 | -5.27% |
| L&T | 3,435 | -173.00 | -4.81% |
| Tata Motors PV | 309.30 | -15.45 | -4.76% |
| InterGlobe | 4,154 | -206.00 | -4.74% |
| Trent | 3,482 | -159.00 | -4.37% |
| Bajaj Auto | 8,869 | -403.00 | -4.35% |
Sensex losers
| Company Name | Current Price (Rs) | Price Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eternal | 228.74 | -13.80 | -5.69% |
| Bajaj Finance | 832.20 | -47.90 | -5.45% |
| HDFC Bank | 798.20 | -44.85 | -5.32% |
| M&M | 3,045 | -169.00 | -5.27% |
| L&T | 3,435 | -173.00 | -4.81% |
| InterGlobe | 4,154 | -206.00 | -4.74% |
| Trent | 3,482 | -159.00 | -4.37% |
| Bajaj Finserv | 1,715 | -76.90 | -4.30% |
| UltraTech Cem. | 10,814 | -433.00 | -3.85% |
| Axis Bank | 1,207 | -46.21 | -3.69% |
Nifty50 gainer
| Company Name | Current Price (Rs) | Price Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| ONGC | 269.10 | +4.11 | +1.55% |
Sharp reversal wipes out three-day rally
Thursday’s sell-off marked a dramatic reversal after a brief recovery in the previous three sessions. Nifty had rallied 2.68 per cent, or 626 points, over the last three sessions, while Sensex had gained 2.8 per cent, or 2,140 points. Those gains were erased in a single trading day as global risk sentiment deteriorated sharply.
Oil shock and global weakness trigger broad sell-off
The market slide came after Brent crude surged 6.75 per cent to $114.8 per barrel, as Iran intensified strikes on Gulf energy assets, including a key natural gas facility in Qatar, two Kuwaiti oil refineries and a Saudi refinery on the Red Sea.That sharp rise in oil prices heightened concerns over inflation, India’s import bill and corporate margins, especially as the country remains heavily dependent on imported crude.PTI also said all sectoral indices ended in the red, with auto, realty, financial services and banking among the hardest hit. Market breadth was decisively negative, with 3,192 stocks declining on the BSE against just 1,051 advances.
Top Nifty50 losers led by Shriram Finance, Eternal and Bajaj Finance
The sell-off in the Nifty50 was led by financial and consumption-linked counters.Shriram Finance emerged as the top loser on the Nifty50, falling 7.03 per cent to Rs 949.80. Eternal dropped 5.69 per cent to Rs 228.74, while Bajaj Finance declined 5.45 per cent to Rs 832.20.HDFC Bank, already under pressure after chairman Atanu Chakraborty’s resignation over ethical concerns, slid 5.32 per cent to Rs 798.20, as per the data provided and PTI’s broader market report.Mahindra & Mahindra fell 5.27 per cent to Rs 3,045, while Larsen & Toubro lost 4.81 per cent to Rs 3,435. Other major Nifty laggards included Tata Motors PV, down 4.76 per cent to Rs 309.30; InterGlobe Aviation, down 4.74 per cent to Rs 4,154; Trent, down 4.37 per cent to Rs 3,482; and Bajaj Auto, down 4.35 per cent to Rs 8,869.
Sensex losers mirror the broader damage
On the Sensex, Eternal was also the worst performer, dropping 5.69 per cent to Rs 228.74.It was followed by Bajaj Finance, down 5.45 per cent to Rs 832.20; HDFC Bank, down 5.32 per cent to Rs 798.20; Mahindra & Mahindra, down 5.27 per cent to Rs 3,045; and Larsen & Toubro, down 4.81 per cent to Rs 3,435.InterGlobe Aviation fell 4.74 per cent to Rs 4,154, while Trent lost 4.37 per cent to Rs 3,482. Bajaj Finserv slipped 4.30 per cent to Rs 1,715, UltraTech Cement dropped 3.85 per cent to Rs 10,814, and Axis Bank declined 3.69 per cent to Rs 1,207.The list underlines how the pain was concentrated in rate-sensitive lenders, cyclicals and discretionary names.
ONGC was the lone bright spot in Nifty50
In an otherwise deeply red market, ONGC was the only stock in the Nifty50 to end in positive territory.ONGC rose 1.55 per cent to Rs 269.10, gaining Rs 4.11 on the day, making it the lone exception.
Analysts say macro risks changed sentiment quickly
Market experts said the sharp fall reflected a rapid shift in risk appetite as geopolitical and macroeconomic concerns converged.“Indian equities witnessed a sharp and broad-based reversal, with the Nifty-50 erasing recent gains in a single session as global and domestic risks converged. The sell-off was triggered by a combination of macro headwinds that significantly altered risk perception. Crude oil prices surged above USD 111 per barrel amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, raising concerns over sustained supply disruptions,” Hariprasad K, Research Analyst and Founder, Livelong Wealth, said, as quoted by news agency PTI.Vinod Nair, head of research at Geojit Investments Limited, also linked the decline to both oil and global monetary signals.“The domestic market ended sharply lower, giving up the gains of the past three days, as a series of attacks on energy infrastructure in the Middle East triggered a renewed spike in oil prices and dampened investor sentiment. The US Fed adopted a hawkish stance, signalling higher inflation amid elevated geopolitical uncertainty,” he said, according to PTI.
Midcaps, smallcaps and all sectors end in the red
The damage was not limited to frontline indices.The BSE MidCap Select index fell 3.34 per cent, while the SmallCap Select index declined 2.77 per cent.All sectoral indices ended lower. Auto was the worst-hit, plunging 4.07 per cent, followed by realty at 3.79 per cent, financial services at 3.66 per cent, consumer discretionary at 3.62 per cent, BSE Top 10 Banks at 3.53 per cent, industrials at 3.49 per cent, services at 3.44 per cent, BSE Focused IT at 3.41 per cent and consumer durables at 3.38 per cent, according to PTI.Market breadth also remained deeply negative, with 3,192 stocks declining on the BSE against 1,051 advances, while 161 remained unchanged.
Global weakness adds to pressure
Weakness across global markets added to the pressure on Indian equities.Asian markets including South Korea’s Kospi, Japan’s Nikkei 225, Shanghai’s SSE Composite and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng all ended significantly lower, PTI said.European markets were also trading with steep losses, while US markets had closed sharply lower on Wednesday.
FIIs continue selling, DIIs offer some support
Foreign investor flows remained under pressure.According to exchange data, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold equities worth Rs 2,714.35 crore on Wednesday. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs), however, bought shares worth Rs 3,253.03 crore, partially offsetting the outflows.Thursday’s crash is one of the clearest signs yet of how sharply Indian markets are reacting to the deepening West Asia conflict.With Brent crude now above $114 a barrel and Gulf energy infrastructure under direct attack, investors are increasingly pricing in the risk of higher imported inflation, pressure on India’s current account, and the possibility of slower growth if the conflict drags on.If oil remains elevated and global risk aversion deepens, market volatility is likely to stay high in the sessions ahead.