06.03.202604:23:37UTC+00Indian Equities Start Day Lower

India’s BSE Sensex slipped about 0.4% to 79,704 in Friday morning trade, pulling back from the previous session’s gains as rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East pushed oil prices higher and weakened global risk sentiment. Crude prices climbed to a 20‑month peak on fears that an expanding regional conflict could disrupt energy supplies and key shipping lanes, stoking worries about renewed inflationary pressures and wider fiscal deficits.

Some relief came after the US granted a 30‑day waiver allowing purchases of Russian crude already in transit, temporarily easing supply concerns. Still, most sectors traded lower, including financials, consumer durables, communications, and industrials. Early notable decliners included InterGlobe (-2.4%), Larsen & Toubro (-1.5%), ICICI Bank (-1.7%), HDFC Bank (-1.3%), and BSE Ltd (-0.6%). For the week so far, the index is down around 2% in early trading.