Mumbai, India – February 27, 2026
Indian equity markets closed sharply lower on Friday, with benchmark indices posting losses of over 1 percent amid weak global cues and rising geopolitical uncertainty.
The 30-share BSE Sensex fell 961.42 points, or 1.17 percent, to settle at 81,287.19. During intraday trade, the index dropped as much as 1,089.46 points to hit 81,159.15.
Meanwhile, the 50-share NSE Nifty declined 317.90 points, or 1.25 percent, closing at 25,178.65 — slipping below the key 25,200 mark.
The Indian rupee weakened by 8 paise to close at 90.99 against the U.S. dollar.
Broad-Based Selling Across Sectors
In the Sensex pack, major laggards included Sun Pharma, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finserv, InterGlobe Aviation, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Maruti Suzuki.
On the gaining side, HCL Tech, Trent, Infosys, and Eternal ended in positive territory.
Market participants witnessed broad-based profit booking, particularly in auto, FMCG, and pharma stocks, following recent gains.
What Triggered the Market Decline?
According to Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Investments Limited, investor sentiment turned cautious amid weak global signals and escalating geopolitical risks.
Concerns intensified after limited progress in U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations raised fears of rising tensions in the Middle East. Additionally, uncertainty surrounding artificial intelligence–linked investments has prompted a shift toward safer assets.
Domestically, the earnings season has concluded, and global macroeconomic developments are currently dominating investor outlook. The absence of fresh positive domestic triggers further accelerated selling pressure, especially during the final trading hour.
Global Markets Mixed; Oil Prices Rise
Across Asia, South Korea’s Kospi index fell 1 percent, while Japan’s Nikkei 225, Shanghai’s SSE Composite, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng ended in positive territory.
European markets were trading mixed during the session. U.S. markets had mostly closed lower on Thursday.
Global oil benchmark Brent Crude rose 1.26 percent to $71.64 per barrel, adding to inflationary concerns.
FII and DII Activity
According to exchange data:
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Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold shares worth ₹3,465.99 crore on Thursday.
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Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) purchased shares worth ₹5,031.57 crore.
In the previous session, the Sensex had closed marginally lower by 27.46 points at 82,248.61, while the Nifty ended slightly higher by 14.05 points at 25,496.55.
Friday’s sharp decline marks a significant reversal from the relatively stable trend seen earlier in the week.
