Mumbai, India — March 13, 2026
Indian equity markets ended sharply lower on Friday, extending their losing streak for the third consecutive session. The benchmark BSE Sensex plunged 1,470.50 points to close at 74,563.92, while the Nifty 50 declined 488.05 points to settle at 23,151.10.
The steep fall wiped out nearly ₹10 lakh crore in investor wealth as widespread selling pressure gripped the market amid global uncertainty and rising crude oil prices.
Sharp Intraday Fall in Benchmarks
During intraday trading, the Sensex dropped as much as 1,579.82 points, or about 2 percent, to touch 74,454.60. The benchmark eventually closed down 1.93 percent, marking another weak session for the market.
The Nifty 50 index also ended the day significantly lower, slipping 2.06 percent as investors remained cautious amid global market volatility.
Meanwhile, the Indian rupee weakened by 20 paise to close at a new record low of 92.45 against the US dollar (provisional).
Major Losers in Sensex Stocks
Among the 30 companies listed on the Sensex, several heavyweights ended the session in the red.
Key laggards included Larsen & Toubro, Tata Steel, State Bank of India, Bharat Electronics, Maruti Suzuki, and UltraTech Cement.
However, a few stocks managed to stay in positive territory, including Hindustan Unilever and Bharti Airtel.
Global Markets Also Under Pressure
Weak sentiment was visible across global markets as well. In Asia, major 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 trading in negative territory during the session.
Overnight in the United States, Wall Street indices recorded notable declines. The Nasdaq Composite fell 1.78 percent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.56 percent, and the S&P 500 slipped 1.52 percent.
Rising Oil Prices Add Pressure
Global oil prices also contributed to investor caution. The international benchmark Brent Crude rose 0.25 percent to $100.7 per barrel, adding to concerns about inflation and economic growth.
FIIs Continue Selling
According to exchange data, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold equities worth ₹7,049.87 crore on Thursday. Meanwhile, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) purchased shares worth ₹7,449.77 crore, partially offsetting the outflows.
In the previous session on Thursday, the Sensex had already dropped 829.29 points, while the Nifty declined 227.70 points, signaling a broader trend of cautious sentiment in the market.
With global markets volatile and oil prices rising, investors are expected to remain watchful in the coming sessions as market participants assess economic and geopolitical developments.
