Indian benchmark equity indices ended lower on Friday, August 14, as investors remained cautious amid rising crude oil prices, geopolitical uncertainty and continued selling pressure in several heavyweight stocks. The BSE Sensex fell 70.71 points, or 0.09%, to close at 78,009.25, while the NSE Nifty50 declined 29.85 points, or 0.12%, to settle at 24,366. The two indices extended their losing run to a fourth straight session.
The session was volatile. The Sensex had fallen more than 300 points in early trade, while the Nifty slipped below 24,300 at one point. However, buying in select heavyweight stocks helped the benchmarks recover much of their early losses before they gave up some gains towards the close. The Nifty touched an intraday low of 24,296.80.
The broader market was comparatively resilient. The Nifty Bank gained 144 points to 57,491, while the Nifty Midcap index rose 339 points to 63,782. Market breadth remained broadly balanced, although the overall tone stayed cautious.
Among the top gainers, Apollo Hospitals, Bharti Airtel, Adani Ports, Hindustan Aeronautics, Eternal and Titan were among the stronger performers in the Sensex basket. Apollo Hospitals emerged as the top Nifty gainer, rising more than 3%, while LG Electronics India gained more than 9% after reporting strong first-quarter results. The company reported a 27.2% year-on-year rise in profit after tax to ₹653 crore and a 15% increase in revenue.
Honasa Consumer was another stock in focus, gaining more than 4% after reporting its highest-ever consolidated quarterly profit. Its profit after tax rose 116.5% year-on-year to ₹90 crore in the first quarter of FY27. Galaxy Surfactants also surged 20% after raising its earnings guidance.
On the other hand, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, Jio Financial Services, Asian Paints, ONGC, NTPC and InterGlobe Aviation were among the key laggards. Tata Motors PV was the biggest drag on the Nifty after its shares fell more than 4%. The stock had dropped sharply after the company reported an 80% year-on-year decline in consolidated net profit for the April-June quarter.
Tata Motors PV’s quarterly performance was weighed down by weakness at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), which accounts for a significant share of the company’s revenue. The company also flagged continued margin pressures, adding to investor concerns about its near-term earnings outlook.
Metal stocks also faced heavy selling. National Aluminium Company, or NALCO, fell around 6%, while Hindalco Industries declined nearly 2%. The weakness came as investors reacted to increased production at Alunorte and softer global commodity prices. The Nifty Metal index fell nearly 2% during the week, making metals one of the weakest-performing sectors.
Crude oil remained a key concern for investors. Oil prices moved higher after the United States threatened to maintain its naval blockade of Iran indefinitely, reviving worries about disruptions to global crude supplies. Brent crude rose 4.6% during the session to around $87 a barrel. For India, which imports a large share of its crude requirements, sustained higher oil prices can raise import costs and put pressure on inflation and corporate margins.
The rise in oil prices came despite supportive global cues. US stocks had closed at record highs on Thursday after softer inflation-related data strengthened expectations that the US Federal Reserve could keep interest rates unchanged at its next meeting. Asian markets also traded largely higher on Friday, with Japan’s Nikkei gaining 0.59%. However, these positive cues were not enough to offset domestic concerns.
Sector-wise, the weakness was fairly widespread. Metals were among the biggest laggards, followed by information technology, consumer, cement and financial stocks. Oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and healthcare also declined. Consumer durables stood out as a notable outperformer, while private banks and realty stocks showed relative resilience.
The week’s performance was also disappointing for investors. The Sensex and Nifty both fell nearly 1% over the week, snapping their second consecutive weekly gaining streak. More than 35 Nifty stocks ended the week lower. Metals, FMCG and auto stocks were among the biggest sectoral decliners.
Despite the weakness in headline indices, stock-specific action remained strong as companies continued to announce their first-quarter FY27 results. Investors are likely to track corporate earnings, crude oil prices, foreign institutional investor flows and global market cues in the coming sessions. The direction of oil prices and developments around the Strait of Hormuz will remain particularly important for the Indian stock market.
With the Sensex settling at 78,009 and the Nifty at 24,366, investors are entering the next week with a cautious approach. While selective buying continues to support individual stocks, elevated crude prices and geopolitical uncertainty could keep the broader market volatile in the near term.