Stock markets tumble for 3rd day as West Asia turmoil, rising oil prices weigh heavily on sentiments Stock market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended sharply lower on Friday, driven by escalating tensions in West Asia and a surge in oil prices. The decline marked the third consecutive day of losses, with investor sentiment further dented by heavy global selling, persistent outflows of foreign capital, and a weak rupee. The 30-share BSE Sensex fell 1,579.82 points, or 2%, to 74,454.60 during intraday trading before closing at 74,563.92, a drop of 1,470.50 points, or 1.93%. The 50-share NSE Nifty declined 488.05 points, or 2.06%, to 23,151.10. Hindustan Unilever and Bharti Airtel were among the few gainers. Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose 0.25% to $100.7 per barrel, adding pressure on equity markets. Asian indices such as South Korea’s Kospi, Japan’s Nikkei 225, China’s SSE Composite, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng all closed lower. European markets were also in negative territory. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold equities worth ₹7,049.87 crore on March 12, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) bought stocks worth ₹7,449.77 crore. The Sensex had already dropped 829.29 points, or 1.08%, to 76,034.42 on March 12, and the Nifty fell 227.70 points, or 0.95%, to 23,639.15. The ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia, coupled with rising energy costs, have created uncertainty, prompting investors to retreat from riskier assets. Analysts noted that the combination of these factors, along with weak domestic currency performance, has exacerbated market volatility.#nifty #brent_crude #sensex #west_asia #fiis
