2026.03.0911:47:06UTC+00Sensex Finishes Sharply Lower

India's BSE Sensex closed about 1.7% lower at 77,566 on Monday, its weakest finish since April 2025, extending the previous session’s losses as escalating tensions in the Middle East over the weekend drove energy prices higher. The spike in crude prices revived concerns about renewed inflationary pressures and a widening import bill for India—one of the world’s largest oil importers—triggering further foreign outflows and broad-based selling across sectors. Banking stocks came under particularly heavy pressure, with State Bank of India sliding more than 5%, while Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, and HDFC Bank fell between 3% and 4%. Auto and industrial shares also dropped sharply, with Maruti Suzuki India down 4.6% and Larsen & Toubro off 2.8%. Other major counters, including Mahindra & Mahindra, UltraTech Cement, Tata Steel, and Asian Paints, declined between 2.9% and 5.4%, and airline operator InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo) lost 4%.