Sensex, Nifty open lower as Middle East tensions keep investors cautious

The BSE Sensex opened at 77,903.43 and was down 335.73 points, or 0.43%, at 77,744.23 as of 9:28 am. The NSE Nifty 50 opened at 24,361.90 and was down 86.30 points, or 0.35%, at 24,309.55.IT and consumer stocks provided limited support.Equity benchmarks opened lower on Friday, extending the subdued trend seen through the week as persistent tensions in the Middle East kept investors cautious. The decline came despite a moderation in crude oil prices from their recent highs and continued optimism around corporate earnings.The BSE Sensex opened at 77,903.43 and was down 335.73 points, or 0.43%, at 77,744.23 as of 9:28 am. The NSE Nifty 50 opened at 24,361.90 and was down 86.30 points, or 0.35%, at 24,309.55.The benchmarks have been under pressure this week, with the Sensex and Nifty both down about 0.8% so far, as uncertainty over the Middle East has outweighed strong quarterly earnings and expectations that the US Federal Reserve may keep interest rates steady in the near term.CRUDE OIL COOLS, BUT REMAINS A CONCERNCrude oil prices eased from their recent highs but remained elevated. Brent crude was trading at $87.14 a barrel, up marginally by 0.08%, while WTI crude stood at $81.33, also up 0.10%. Brent had recently climbed above $91 a barrel after hopes of a deal between the US and Iran faded. The subsequent fall below $87 has provided some relief to Indian equities, but investors remain watchful because any fresh escalation could push oil prices higher again.Dr VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited, said, "The range bound nature of the market is likely to continue in the near-term. Nifty has been consolidating between 23800 and 24400 without any triggers for a breakout above the upper band or a breakdown below the lower band. Nifty was poised for a breakout above the upper band, but this was foiled by spurt in crude to above $91 triggered by the absence of an expected deal between US and Iran. "Now Brent crude has cooled off to below $87, which is a mild positive for the market. Even though FPI selling has tapered out and they had turned buyers recently, a clear trend in FII activity is yet to emerge. Major activity is now centred around the mid and small-cap space. This trend is likely to continue. Select private sector banks offer value buying opportunities for the long-term."IT, CONSUMER STOCKS OFFER SOME SUPPORTThe broader market opened mixed, although the majority of large-cap stocks were in the red. Eternal was the biggest Sensex gainer, rising 0.74%, while Titan gained 0.49% and Bajaj Finance advanced 0.35%. Adani Ports rose 0.23% and ICICI Bank was flat.Among the losers, Tech Mahindra fell 1.32%, while UltraTech Cement and ITC declined 1.06% each. Tata Steel dropped 1.11%, IndiGo fell 1.18% and Axis Bank was down 1.18%. Power Grid, Trent, M&M and Asian Paints were also lower.MOST SECTORS TRADE LOWERThe sectoral picture was largely weak at the open. Nifty Realty was the biggest gainer, rising 0.28%, while Nifty Media added 0.17%. Nifty Auto declined 0.58%, Nifty Metal fell 1.11% and Nifty Pharma slipped 0.12%.Nifty IT was down 0.26%, while Nifty Financial Services 25/50 declined 0.09%. Nifty PSU Bank fell 0.19% and Nifty Private Bank dropped 0.16%.Nifty FMCG declined 0.30%, while Nifty Oil & Gas fell 0.50%. Nifty Healthcare was down 0.24%, while Nifty Consumer Durables declined 0.47%.BROADER MARKET REMAINS MIXEDThe broader market was relatively resilient compared with the benchmark indices. The Nifty Smallcap 100 was up 0.09%, while the Nifty Midcap 50 and Nifty Midcap 100 were down 0.12% and 0.04%, respectively.The Nifty 100 fell 0.24%, Nifty 200 declined 0.20% and Nifty 500 slipped 0.16%. The Nifty India FPI 150 index was also down 0.26%.The India VIX, a measure of expected market volatility, rose 0.32% to 11.46.For the market, the key question remains whether crude oil can stay below the recent highs. While softer Brent prices offer some relief, any fresh escalation in the Middle East could quickly bring oil and inflation concerns back into focus.At the same time, the ongoing earnings season and domestic liquidity remain supportive factors. Investors are also watching foreign investor flows, with a clear trend yet to emerge.(Disclaimer: The views, opinions, recommendations, and suggestions expressed by experts/brokerages in this article are their own and do not reflect the views of the India Today Group. It is advisable to consult a qualified broker or financial advisor before making any actual investment or trading choices.)- EndsPublished On: Aug 14, 2026 09:20 IST