Indian markets opened sharply lower today (14 July 2026)

Indian markets opened sharply lower today (14 July 2026) as the Sensex fell over 500 points and Nifty slipped below 24,100, weighed down by escalating US–Iran tensions and surging crude oil prices. The rupee also weakened past the ₹96 per US dollar mark, adding pressure on sentiment. 📉 India Stock Market Highlights (14 July 2026, Morning) Sensex: Down ~552 points to 77,063.41 Nifty 50: Down ~160 points to 24,050.55 Rupee: Slipped past ₹96/USD, weakest since late May Sectoral trends: Metals & Pharma: Positive (Hindalco,

among gainers) IT: Mixed (Infosys, up; HCL Tech down ~2%) Banks, Auto, Realty: Weakness with declines of 0.5–1% Market breadth: More stocks declining than advancing, showing broad weakness 🌍 Global Market Context Oil prices: Brent crude surged to $84.98/barrel, WTI at $79.79/barrel, marking the highest levels in a month. This spike followed the US reinstating a naval blockade on Iran and retaliatory strikes in the Strait of Hormuz. Asian markets: Kospi (South Korea): Plunged 6%, led by semiconductor sell-off Japan’s Nikkei: Down ~1% Shanghai Composite: Down ~1.7% Hang Seng (Hong Kong): Slightly positive (+0.3%) US markets (13 July close): Dow Jones: Slightly cushioned by energy stocks Nasdaq: Fell sharply on chip weakness S&P 500: Down ~0.6% as risk appetite weakened 📊 Key Economic Indicators for India Inflation (CPI): Rose to 4.38% in June, up from 3.93% in May, driven by food prices. Trade deficit: Widened to $30.43 billion in June, highest in 5 months. Imports surged 26.8% YoY, while exports rose 9.5%. ⚠️ Risks & Investor Takeaways Geopolitical risk: US–Iran conflict is the dominant driver, raising crude prices and inflation concerns. Currency pressure: Weak rupee adds to import costs, especially crude oil. Sector rotation: Metals and pharma showing resilience, while IT and banking face pressure. Volatility expected: