Sensex, Nifty end lower as crude prices, Middle East uncertainty weigh on sentiment

Stock markets ended lower on Friday as elevated crude oil prices and continued uncertainty over the Middle East kept investors cautious. The benchmark indices recovered from the day's lows but remained in negative territory, with broader markets also seeing pressure.The BSE Sensex closed at 78,009.25, down 70.71 points or 0.09%, while the Nifty 50 settled at 24,366, lower by 29.85 points or 0.12%. The Sensex had touched an intraday low of 77,684.37, while the Nifty fell to 24,296.80 during the session.Crude oil prices remained elevated, keeping pressure on investor sentiment. WTI crude was trading at $81.87 a barrel, up 0.76%, while Brent crude stood at $87.22, gaining 0.17%.For India, which is a major crude importer, higher oil prices remain a concern as they can increase import costs and add pressure on inflation and the rupee. The uncertainty around the Middle East has also kept investors cautious about the direction of energy prices. The rupee was flat against the US dollar at 95.4250, with frequent dollar-selling intervention by the Reserve Bank of India helping limit pressure on the currency.CONSUMER STOCKS OFFER SOME SUPPORTThe market saw some buying in consumer-facing stocks, helping the benchmarks recover from their intraday lows. Among the Sensex stocks, Bharti Airtel was the top gainer, rising 2.53%, followed by Adani Ports, which gained 1.82%. ICICI Bank rose 0.57%, Titan added 0.56%, M&M gained 0.35% and HDFC Bank edged up 0.05%.On the other hand, Asian Paints was the biggest loser, falling 1.69%. Indigo declined 1.39%, while NTPC fell 1.19%. Tech Mahindra dropped 0.93%, Reliance Industries lost 0.64%, Power Grid declined 1.08% and Infosys fell 0.07%.The broader market ended mixed, with mid-cap and small-cap stocks seeing some selling pressure. The Nifty 100 fell 0.16%, while the Nifty 200 declined 0.23% and the Nifty 500 lost 0.27%.The Nifty Midcap 50 fell 0.74%, while the Nifty Midcap 100 declined 0.53%. The Nifty Smallcap 100 was down 0.69%.The India VIX, a measure of market volatility, fell 0.41% to 11.37.FINANCIAL, METAL AND PHARMA STOCKS UNDER PRESSUREMost sectoral indices ended in the red. The Nifty Financial Services 25/50 index fell 0.46%, while the Nifty Metal index declined 0.71%. The Nifty Pharma index dropped 0.90%, Nifty Auto fell 0.63% and Nifty Oil & Gas declined 0.47%.The Nifty Private Bank index slipped 0.05%, while the Nifty PSU Bank index fell 0.57%. The Nifty Healthcare index declined 0.46% and Nifty Financial Services Ex-Bank lost 1.02%.There were a few pockets of strength. The Nifty Media index rose 0.96%, while Nifty Consumer Durables gained 0.76%. The Nifty MidSmall IT & Telecom index also rose 0.39%.Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said the market remained sideways as investors waited for greater clarity on energy prices and global bond yields."A sideways trend persisted in the market as investors awaited greater clarity on the outlook for energy prices and global bond yields. However, the market witnessed a recovery from the day's lows, led by consumer durables and discretionary consumption stocks, supported by improving demand trends," Nair said.He added that better-than-expected corporate earnings during the quarter, along with supportive domestic factors that could lead to upward revisions to FY27 earnings estimates, continue to create opportunities for stock-specific buying."Additionally, the stability in the rupee, moderation in India's 10-year bond yield, and a gradual improvement in FII participation are providing support to the domestic macro-environment and supporting the inflation trajectory," he said.Overall, the market continues to balance strong domestic fundamentals and corporate earnings against the pressure from elevated crude prices and uncertainty around the Middle East.(Disclaimer: The views, opinions, recommendations, and suggestions expressed by experts/brokerages in this article are their own and do not reflect the views of the India Today Group. It is advisable to consult a qualified broker or financial advisor before making any actual investment or trading choices.)- EndsPublished On: Aug 14, 2026 16:04 IST