Indian equity markets witnessed a sharp sell-off on the auspicious occasion of Gudi Padwa, with benchmark indices BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 falling over 2% in early trade on Thursday. The Sensex plunged 1,642.81 points, or 2.14%, to trade at 75,061.32, while the Nifty 50 dropped 495.95 points, or 2.09%, to 23,281.85. The market opened on a weak note, tracking losses in global equities as escalating tensions between the United States and Iran pushed crude oil prices higher, dampening investor sentiment.
Heightened uncertainty triggered a spike in volatility, with the India VIX jumping 16.7% to 21.84 shortly after the opening bell. The surge in volatility reflects rising nervousness among investors amid geopolitical risks and global market weakness. Broader markets mirrored the benchmark decline. The Nifty MidCap index slipped 2.37%, while the Nifty SmallCap index fell 2.01%, indicating widespread selling pressure across segments.
On the sectoral front, real estate stocks took the biggest hit, with the Nifty Realty index declining nearly 3%. Heavyweights like Godrej Properties and Lodha Developers led the losses in the sector. On the other hand, the Nifty Media index emerged as the most resilient, registering the least decline among sectoral indices. Market participants are expected to remain cautious in the near term, closely monitoring global developments, especially geopolitical tensions and crude oil price movements, which continue to influence investor sentiment.