Photo by Yorgos Ntrahas on Unsplash
Although the benchmark indices opened higher, they traded positively throughout the session and ultimately closed in the red.
Indian equity benchmarks, Sensex and Nifty50, ended off their day's low as Brent crude oil prices softened amid the ongoing US-Iran war.
At the closing bell, the BSE Sensex closed lower by 1,352 points (down 1.7%)
Meanwhile, the NSE Nifty closed 422 points lower (down 1.7%)
Reliance Industries, Infosys, and Sun Pharma are among the top gainers today.
UltraTech Cement, M&M, and Tata Steel, on the other hand, were among the top losers today.
The GIFT Nifty was trading at 24,016, lower by 558 points at the time of writing.
The BSE MidCap index ended 0.7% lower, and the BSE SmallCap index ended 0.2% lower.
Sectoral indices are trading negatively today, with stocks in the auto sector and banking sector witnessing selling pressure.
The rupee is trading at Rs 92.3 against the US$.
Gold prices for the latest contract on MCX are trading 0.4% lower at Rs 160,961 per grams.
Meanwhile, silver prices were trading 1.2% lower at 2,64,946 per 1 kg.
Four reasons why Indian share markets are falling:
# 1Crude Oil Surge:
Brent crude oil prices jumped about 26% to around $119 per barrel, the highest since July 2022, because oil supplies from the Middle East are getting disrupted due to the ongoing conflict. This is bad for India since the country imports most of its oil, which can increase inflation, raise the import bill, and hurt companies' profits.
#2 Weak Global Markets:
Asian stock markets fell sharply, with South Korea's KOSPI Composite Index dropping over 7% and Japan's Nikkei 225 falling about 6.5%. US markets had already closed lower on Friday, and futures suggested another weak start, creating negative sentiment worldwide.
#3 Continuous FII Selling:
Foreign investors kept selling Indian stocks, selling shares worth Rs 60.30 billion (bn) on Friday. Due to uncertainty from the Middle East conflict, rising crude prices, and a weakening rupee, foreign investors are likely to stay away until the situation becomes clearer.
#4 Weak Rupee:
The Indian rupee fell 46 paise to 92.28 against the US dollar in early trading. Rising oil prices, heavy foreign investor selling, and falling stock markets are putting pressure on the Indian currency.
#5 Rise in Market Volatility:
The India VIX, also known as the fear index, jumped more than 21% to 24.18, the highest in 21 months. A higher VIX means investors are more uncertain and worried, which often leads to more selling in the stock market.
#6 Banking Stocks Under Pressure:
Shares of banks, especially public sector banks, fell sharply due to fears that high oil prices could increase borrowing costs and bond yields. Major private banks like HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank also dropped more than 3%.
Kwality Wall India Q3 Results
In the news from the FMCG sector, shares of Kwality Walls India came into focus after the company reported its Q3 FY26 results.
The company's revenue from operations declined to around Rs 2.23 bn, compared with Rs 3.22 bn in the September quarter.
Its EBITDA before exceptional items was about Rs 0.64 bn, mainly due to lower profit margins and continued investments across its supply chain
On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the net loss increased to about Rs 1.78 bn, compared to a loss of Rs 1.00 bn in the previous quarter (Q2FY26).
The impulse ice-cream products (single-serve items like cones and sticks) recorded mid-single-digit volume growth during the quarter. However, the in-home ice-cream segment performed weakly, and the company plans to relaunch it with improved products for the 2026 season.
SML Mahindra Posts Strong February Production Growth
SML Isuzu, now known as SML Mahindra, reported commercial vehicle production of 1,679 units in February 2026, showing a 16% increase compared to 1,442 units produced in February 2025.
The company's sales rose 15% year-on-year to 1,415 units, up from 1,229 units in the same month last year. Meanwhile, exports also improved, increasing to 88 units in February 2026 from 59 units in February 2025.
SML Mahindra, earlier called SML Isuzu, mainly operates in the manufacturing and sale of commercial vehicles and related parts.
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