Sensex, Nifty tumble 1 pc on weak global trends, geopolitical tensions
Mumbai, Jun 12 (PTI): Benchmark Sensex tanked 823 points on Thursday following a selloff in oil & gas, power and capital goods shares in tandem with weak global market trends amid growing tensions in the Middle East.
The 30-share BSE Sensex dropped 823.16 points or 1 per cent to settle at 81,691.98 with 27 of its constituents declining and three ending higher. During the day, it plunged 991.98 points or 1.20 per cent to 81,523.16.
Snapping its six-day winning streak, the broader NSE Nifty tumbled 253.20 points or 1.01 per cent to 24,888.20.
Fresh foreign fund outflows also dented investors' sentiment, traders said.
Among Sensex stocks, Tata Motors, Titan, Eternal, Power Grid, Tata Steel, Larsen & Toubro, Mahindra & Mahindra and Hindustan Unilever were among the biggest laggards.
Bajaj Finserv, Asian Paints and Tech Mahindra were the gainers.
"Consolidation in domestic markets is evolving into a broad-based trend, now extending to large-cap stocks. Valuation concerns and rising oil prices -- driven by Middle East tensions -- are fuelling risk aversion among investors.
"Adding to the uncertainty, the US is considering unilateral tariff hikes on several key trading partners, with a decision expected within the next one to two weeks, ahead of an early July deadline," Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said.
The BSE midcap gauge tanked 1.52 per cent and smallcap index dropped 1.38 per cent.
Among sectoral indices, power tumbled 2.19 per cent, utilities (2.18 per cent), oil & gas (2.10 per cent), realty (2.07 per cent), consumer durables (2.02 per cent), industrials (1.98 per cent), auto (1.71 per cent), consumer discretionary (1.67 per cent) and metal (1.63 per cent).
As many as 2,729 stocks declined while 1,282 advanced and 140 remained unchanged on the BSE.
"The sell-off was triggered by a combination of factors, including renewed geopolitical tensions between Israel and Iran, a rise in crude oil prices, and expiry-related pressure following the breakdown of a key support level. These developments have made market participants more cautious," Ajit Mishra - SVP, Research, Religare Broking Ltd, said.
Meanwhile, a London-bound Air India plane carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed in a residential area minutes after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon. Many people were feared killed.
Shares of aircraft manufacturer Boeing plunged nearly 8 per cent in pre-market trade on Thursday.
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 446.31 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.
Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research), Mehta Equities Ltd, said investors exited stocks at will weighed down by weak global sentiment coupled with the possibility of Israel attacking Iran and renewed tariff threat by US President Donald Trump".
In Asian markets, South Korea's Kospi and Shanghai's SSE Composite index settled in the positive territory, while Japan's Nikkei 225 index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended lower. Equity markets in Europe were trading in the negative territory.
US markets ended lower on Wednesday.
Global oil benchmark Brent crude declined 1.43 per cent to USD 68.77 a barrel.
On Wednesday, the 30-share BSE Sensex rose by 123.42 points or 0.15 per cent to settle at 82,515.14. The Nifty ended 37.15 points or 0.15 per cent up at 25,141.40.
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Rohit identifies Arshdeep, Hardik as key to India's chances in T20 World Cup
New Delhi (PTI): T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma reckons all-rounder Hardik Pandya and left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh will hold the key to India's prospects in the upcoming edition of the tournament.
Defending champions India will enter the T20 showpiece as one of the overwhelming favourites due to their massive depth and quality.
Rohit highlighted Arshdeep's effectiveness with the new ball and at the death.
"It is a big positive to have both Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh together because they always attack for wickets. Arshdeep's biggest strength is swinging the new ball and taking early wickets. He mainly bowls with the new ball and at the death. Starting and finishing are the most important phases, and he is strong in both," Rohit told JioHotstar.
"With the new ball, he swings it to get left-handers caught in the slips and targets the pads of right-handers. He has also started taking the ball away from right-handers. These skills are key for a new-ball bowler. He always tries to take wickets, which is why he bowls the first over."
Rohit added, "In the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa, he did a great job. I still remember he dismissed Quinton de Kock when he was set and batting well. In the 19th over, he gave away just two or three runs, which built pressure on the South Africans.
"That is his game, bowling with the new ball and at the death, and he will play a key role for India in the 2026 T20 World Cup."
India won the last edition of the tournament in the Americas under Rohit's captaincy, after which the dashing opener retired from the T20 format internationally.
Rohit also spoke about how Hardik's dual role as a finisher and multi-phase bowler provides crucial balance to the Indian team.
"Whenever Hardik Pandya is in the team, his role is huge. He bats and bowls very consistently. His batting is crucial when the team is stuck. If we have a score of 160 on the board in 15-16 overs and Hardik is batting, then he's the one who can help the team reach 210-220 from there or if we are 50 for 4, he has to build the innings.
"Batting in the middle order at 5, 6, or 7 is very tough. That is why Hardik's role is critical in any format. We know his bowling. He bowls in key phases, with the new ball, in the middle and in the death as well. His role is very important because he gives the team balance, letting us play six bowlers and keep our batting deep."
Rohit said accommodating both Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy together in the playing XI is going to be a big challenge for the Indian team management.
"The biggest challenge for captain Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir will be how to play both Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy together. If you want that combination, you can only do it if you play with two seamers, which is a big challenge.
"But honestly, I would be tempted to play both Varun and Kuldeep because they are wicket-takers and batters struggle to read them. I would surely pick them."
The former India skipper added, "Looking at the conditions in India, like in this New Zealand series, there is a lot of dew. In February and March, dew will be heavy across most parts as winter ends.
"Even in Mumbai, which doesn't get cold, there's still dew. I'd say 90-95 percent of grounds in India have dew. That's the challenge. What do the coach and captain think? Are they comfortable with three spinners? Then they can play spin, but there's no fixed rule. It depends on the team leaders' thinking."
Rohit also urged Kuldeep to stop appealing on every ball and to rely on the wicketkeeper's judgment for reviews.
"My one simple advice to Kuldeep is to just bowl quietly and go back to his mark. You can't appeal on every ball. This is basic. I keep saying it, but it still happens often. Even after telling him many times, he appeals at every chance. You have to use your head. Just because it touches the pad, it doesn't mean it's out every time. This isn't gully cricket.
"I get he is enthusiastic, but think of the team first. Each team only gets two DRS reviews. If I was the keeper, I could see where the ball pitched and if it was hitting, I could tell the bowler.
"But from covers or slip, you don't know the angle. You have to listen to what the keeper and bowler say. That's why when there's a review off Kuldeep's bowling, I don't look at him, I look at the keeper to decide."
The T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in venues across India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
