Indian equity markets opened lower on Friday, with the Sensex falling over 400 points and the Nifty 50 slipping below the 24,250 mark amid sustained selling pressure across sectors.
On the sectoral front, the weakness was broad-based, with banking and financial stocks leading the decline. Heavyweights such as SBI, Infosys, Reliance Industries, and HDFC Bank were among the key laggards that dragged indices lower. In contrast, selective buying interest in defensive pockets helped cushion the fall, with Sun Pharma and ITC emerging as notable gainers during the session.
Rising geopolitical tensions and a spike in crude oil prices, with Brent crude moving above $83 per barrel, further dampened risk appetite. Higher oil prices have raised concerns over inflation and input costs for India, which imports a large share of its crude requirement.
Early indicators from Nifty, which hovered near 24,260, had already pointed to a soft opening for domestic equities. Persistent selling by foreign institutional investors added to pressure, while currency volatility kept sentiment subdued throughout the session.