Indian benchmark indices ended marginally lower on Thursday as investor sentiment remained subdued due to rising tensions between Iran and Israel, volatile crude oil prices, and uncertainty around US President Donald Trump's trade measures.
The Sensex slipped 82.79 points (0.10%) to 81,361.87, while the Nifty dropped 18.80 points (0.08%) to 24,793.25. Both indices traded within a narrow range throughout the session, reflecting caution across global markets.
Sentiment took a hit after the US Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at 4.25&ndash;4.5%, while signaling that inflationary pressures persist, and economic growth might slow further.
&ldquo;The equity index saw rangebound movement with a negative bias due to concerns of US involvement in Middle East tensions,&rdquo; said Vinod Nair, Geojit Financial Services.
Software and banking stocks were among the worst performers. Major drags on the Sensex included Bajaj Finance, Tech Mahindra, IndusInd Bank, and Nestle India, declining between 1.28% and 2.5%.
On the positive side, M&amp;M, Titan, Maruti Suzuki, Bharti Airtel, and L&amp;T ended with modest gains, up by 0.32% to 1.57%.
The broader market faced heavy selling, with Nifty Midcap100 down 1.63% and Nifty Smallcap100 losing 1.99%, showing pressure in non-blue-chip segments.
The Nifty Auto index emerged as the sole sectoral gainer, up 0.52%, while PSU Bank, Metal, Media, and Realty indices fell over 1%, with PSU Bank the biggest loser at -2.04%.
The Indian rupee extended its decline for the third straight day, weakening amid geopolitical stress and Fed signals. USD/INR is expected to head toward 87&ndash;87.50, said Dilip Parmar of HDFC Securities.
Meanwhile, gold prices remained volatile. Comex gold moved between $3,347&ndash;$3,375, and MCX gold traded in the Rs 98,650&ndash;Rs 99,450 range.
[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.]
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Sensex, Nifty Slip as Geopolitical Tensions Weigh

Markets end lower amid Iran-Israel conflict, Fed rate pause, and weak global investor sentiment

Sensex, Nifty Slip as Geopolitical Tensions Weigh

Markets end lower amid Iran-Israel conflict, Fed rate pause, and weak global investor sentiment

June 19, 2025 | 16:24 IST