The BSE Sensex plunged 1,092.06 points, or 1.44%, to close at 74,775.74. The Nifty 50 fell 359.4 points, or 1.50%, to settle at 23,547.75.
The broader market also saw declines:
- Nifty MidCap 100 dropped 1.33%
- Nifty SmallCap 100 fell 0.85%
Impact On The Stock Market
Sector-wise, the weakest performers were:
- Nifty Metal (-2%+)
- Nifty Oil and Gas (-2%+)
Financial stocks underperformed broadly:
- Nifty Bank
- Nifty Private Bank
Meanwhile, select sectors such as IT and industrials managed to stay resilient despite the overall negative sentiment.
| Sector/Index | Performance |
| IT & BPM sector | 0.60% |
| Healthcare sector | -1.86% |
| Oil & Gas sector | -2.47% |
| Real estate sector | -0.25% |
| PSU Bank in India | -0.84% |
Top gainers today
| Company | Share Price (in ₹) | Change % |
| Tech Mahindra | 1,483.90 | 1.94 |
| HCL Tech | 1,183.80 | 1.60 |
| Wipro | 204.25 | 1.32 |
| Larsen | 4,076.50 | 0.72 |
| Infosys | 1,160.90 | 0.09 |
Top losers today
| Company | Share Price (in ₹) | Change % |
| Interglobe Aviation | 4,405.00 | -3.61 |
| Eicher Motors | 7,177.00 | -3.26 |
| Bajaj Auto | 10,460.00 | -3.22 |
| Power Grid Corporation | 290.55 | -3.20 |
| ONGC | 265.40 | -3.16 |
Market aftermath: Impact on stocks
Natco Pharma drops sharply after weak Q4 earnings
Shares of Natco Pharma fell up to 12% after reporting a 34% decline in Q4 net profit to ₹268 crore, with revenue dropping 39.5% and EBITDA plunging 77%.
The EBITDA margin contracted sharply to 17.2% from 45% a year ago, signalling a challenging quarter for the pharmaceutical firm.
AI-linked stocks surge on global optimism
Netweb Technologies India rose 13% following global optimism in AI, triggered by Anthropic’s $65 billion funding round and Nvidia’s record quarterly results.
Other AI stocks like Black Box and E2E Networks also gained up to 2%. Investor focus remains on the potential for AI-driven growth across sectors.
Asian Paints posts strong quarterly profit
Shares of Asian Paints jumped after reporting a 69% YoY increase in Q4 net profit to ₹1,172 crore. Revenue rose 10.8% to ₹9,228 crore, while PBDIT margins expanded to 19.4%, reflecting operational efficiency.
The board declared a final dividend of ₹23 per share, with total FY26 dividend of ₹27.50 per equity share including the interim payout.
Crude oil prices fall on US-Iran ceasefire optimism
Crude oil futures declined amid reports of a possible 60-day US-Iran ceasefire extension:
- August Brent: $91.75 (-1.02%)
- July WTI: $87.79 (-1.25%)
- June MCX crude: ₹8,406 (-1.53%)
- July MCX crude: ₹8,262 (-1.38%)
Markets reacted to hopes of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, though uncertainty remains due to regional tensions and supply constraints. Lower crude prices provide relief to Indian importers and energy-dependent sectors.
Conclusion
The Indian market faced a broad sell-off as global geopolitical risks and weak banking earnings weighed on sentiment. While heavyweight indices declined sharply, selective sectors like AI, paints, and telecom continued to attract strong investor interest. Crude oil price relief may offer a partial cushion, but investors are keeping a close eye on the US-Iran developments and company-specific earnings momentum for direction in the coming weeks.
