Indian equity benchmarks ended sharply lower on Monday amid escalating geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran, dampening investor sentiment and triggering broad-based selling.
The BSE Sensex plunged 1,048.34 points, or 1.29 percent, to close at 80,238.85 — its lowest closing level since September 2025. Meanwhile, the Nifty 50 declined 312.95 points, or 1.24 percent, to settle at 24,865.70.
Although both indices recovered from intraday lows, they remained firmly in negative territory by the closing bell.
Technical Levels To Watch
Market analysts indicated that Nifty’s immediate support lies around 24,600. A decisive break below this level could open the door for further correction. On the upside, resistance is seen near 25,000. Unless the index sustains above that mark, overall sentiment is expected to remain weak and tilted in favour of bears.
Sectoral And Stock Performance
Out of the 30 Sensex constituents, only a handful managed to close in the green, including Bharat Electronics (BEL), Sun Pharma and ITC.
InterGlobe Aviation, which operates IndiGo, emerged as the top loser, tumbling 6.25 percent. Other major laggards included Maruti Suzuki India, Asian Paints, Bajaj Finserv and Reliance Industries.
Broader markets witnessed deeper cuts, with the Nifty MidCap index falling 1.58 percent and the Nifty SmallCap index dropping 1.75 percent.
Among sectors, auto and oil & gas stocks bore the brunt of the selling pressure. The Nifty Auto index declined 2.20 percent, making it the worst-performing sector of the day. In contrast, the Nifty Metal index bucked the trend and ended 0.24 percent higher.
Volatility Surges
Investor anxiety was reflected in the spike in the India VIX, which jumped 25.01 percent to close at 17.13. A sharp rise in the volatility index typically signals heightened uncertainty and nervousness in the market.
Market participants said the intensifying Middle East conflict has prompted investors to reduce risk exposure and book profits. Going forward, global cues and geopolitical developments are expected to remain key drivers of market direction.