The benchmark indices ended lower, tracking a sharp rise in oil prices due to the US-Iran standoff. In the broader markets, the Nifty MidCap and the Nifty SmallCap ended 0.98 per cent and 0.48 per cent down, respectively.
On the global front, Asian stocks ended mostly lower on Thursday as a sharp rise in oil prices on fears of a prolonged conflict in the Middle East overshadowed stronger-than-expected earnings from major U.S. tech giants.
Meanwhile, European stocks were subdued near three-week lows on Thursday as investors watched the latest developments in the Middle East and awaited policy updates from the European Central Bank and the Bank of England.
On the other side the Brent crude prices surged as reports said that the US has rejected Iran’s peace proposal and directed to intensify the blockade at the Strait of Hormuz.
Among sectoral indices, except IT, all other sectoral indices ended in the red with Metal index declined 2%, while PSU Bank, Private Bank, Consumer Durables, Realty down 1% each.
On the corporate front, HFCL shares gained 10.7 per cent on BSE, hitting a 52-week high at ₹118.76 per share. Shares of contract research and manufacturing services firm Syngene International surged sharply in today’s trade, rallying 20 %.
The 30-share benchmark ended at 76913.5 down by -582.86 points or by -0.75 % and then NSE Nifty was at 23997.55 down by -180.1 points or by -0.74 %.
During the day’s trade, Sensex touched intraday high of 77254.33 and intraday low of 76258.86 The NSE Nifty touched intraday high of 24087.45 and intraday low of 23796.85.
The top gainers of the BSE Sensex pack were Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Rs. 1808.20,+1.64%), Infosys Ltd. (Rs. 1181.50,+1.20%), Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Ltd. (Rs. 1677.00,+0.98%), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (Rs. 1474.05,+0.95%), Bajaj Finance Ltd. (Rs. 936.60,+0.72%), among others.
The top losers of the BSE Sensex pack were Eternal Ltd. (Rs. 246.80,-2.85%), Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (Rs. 2250.60,-2.70%), Tata Steel Ltd. (Rs. 211.30,-2.13%), Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (Rs. 4012.65,-2.03%), Trent Ltd. (Rs. 4144.30,-1.97%), among others.
Among sectors, IT index was at 28406.79 up by 143.81 points or by 0.51%. Innovana Thinklabs Ltd. (Rs. 406.00,+7.95%), BLS E-Services Ltd. (Rs. 197.70,+7.65%), Inventurus Knowledge Solutions Ltd. (Rs. 1651.00,+6.07%), Newgen Software Technologies Ltd. (Rs. 505.45,+5.17%), RateGain Travel Technologies Ltd. (Rs. 606.70,+4.50%),.
On the flip side, Metal index was at 42195.26 down by -920.32 points or by -2.13%. Vedanta Ltd. (Rs. 271.60,-64.88%), National Aluminium Company Ltd. (Rs. 399.45,-7.79%), Hindalco Industries Ltd. (Rs. 1032.00,-3.32%), APL Apollo Tubes Ltd. (Rs. 1903.45,-3.31%), Hindustan Zinc Ltd. (Rs. 595.50,-2.89%),.
The Market breadth, indicating the overall strength of the market, was weak. On BSE out of total shares traded 4603 , shares advanced were 1788 while 2610 shares declined and 205 were unchanged.