Markets opened lower on Monday, weighed down by fresh geopolitical tensions in West Asia and a sharp rebound in crude oil prices, even as strong quarterly results from HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank offered some support.
The Sensex, which closed at 78,493.54 on Friday, opened at 78,632.90 but quickly slipped to 78,286.39, down 207.15 points or 0.26 per cent as of 9.16 AM. The Nifty 50, which had settled at 24,353.55 in the previous session, opened at 24,391.50 before falling to 24,250.00, a drop of 103.55 points or 0.43 per cent at the same time.
The sell-off comes after Iran hardened its position over the weekend, with the Strait of Hormuz reported closed again after briefly reopening on Friday. The United States also seized an Iranian vessel, which Washington said had violated the ongoing blockade, prompting fresh warnings from Tehran ahead of the ceasefire deadline on April 22. Brent crude surged back to around $95 per barrel from below $90 on Friday — an approximate 7 per cent spike — reigniting concerns over energy supply disruptions and inflation.
…”With the de-escalation–escalation drama in the West Asian conflict continuing, the market will remain volatile in the near-term,” said Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments Limited. …”Even though Brent crude has spiked back to $95 levels from below $90 on Friday, there is no panic in the crude market.”
ICICI Bank was the top gainer on the Nifty 50, rising 1.13 per cent to ₹1,362.00, supported by strong Q4 results announced over the weekend. Trent followed with a gain of 0.82 per cent to ₹4,141.40, while Bharti Airtel added 0.45 per cent to ₹1,855.20. Axis Bank edged up 0.36 per cent to ₹1,364.00, and Max Healthcare gained a marginal 0.14 per cent to ₹1,009.05.
On the losing side, Hindalco was the biggest drag, falling 2.14 per cent to ₹1,016.80, as metal stocks came under pressure. Jio Financial Services slipped 1.79 per cent to ₹239.50, while Tata Motors dropped 1.15 per cent to ₹355.95. Eternal fell 1.10 per cent to ₹249.82, and Eicher Motors declined 0.79 per cent to ₹7,133.00.
…”The initial optimism that drove a sharp 300–350 point rally in Gift Nifty on Friday appears to be fading,” said Hariprasad K, SEBI-registered Research Analyst and Founder of Livelong Wealth. …”The risk of a negative reaction remains elevated, especially if crude prices sustain their upward move.”
On the institutional front, Friday’s provisional data showed Foreign Institutional Investors as net buyers with inflows of approximately ₹683 crore, while Domestic Institutional Investors were net sellers with outflows of around ₹4,721 crore. India VIX stood at 17.20, indicating relatively contained volatility despite the uncertain backdrop.
Despite the broad weakness, analysts pointed to a notable divergence: midcap and smallcap indices have recovered to pre-war levels, outperforming the headline Nifty, which remains about 4 per cent below those levels. …”Market is responding positively to good results from the broader market space,” Vijayakumar noted. …”Particular stocks will respond to good results, particularly when the results beat expectations.”
Technically, the Nifty faces immediate resistance at 24,550–24,600, with support at 24,200–24,250. For Bank Nifty, which opened in cautious territory, resistance is seen at 57,000–57,200 and support around 56,100–56,200.
…”Until greater clarity emerges on the geopolitical front, markets are likely to remain reactive,” said Hariprasad K, …”with opportunities driven more by tactical positioning than by a sustained directional trend.”
The Q4 earnings season continues this week and will drive stock-specific action, but broader direction is expected to hinge on developments in the US–Iran standoff, crude oil price movement, and institutional flow trends.