Crude oil prices surpassed $100 per barrel amid escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia. (Representative image) | Photo credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty plunged in early trade on Friday (July 24, 2026) as crude oil prices crossed the $100 per barrel mark amid rising geopolitical tensions in West Asia. The 30-share BSE Sensex fell 512.07 points to 75,869.38 during early trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty fell 153 points to 23,713.60.
Of the Sensex group, InterGlobe Aviation, Eternal, Bharti Airtel, Infosys, Bajaj Finance and Trent were among the top laggards. InterGlobe Aviation fell more than 2% after IndiGo reported a net loss of Rs 238 million for the three months ended June, as higher fuel prices and the West Asia conflict caused turbulence for the country’s largest airline. InterGlobe Aviation is the parent company of IndiGo.
IT services firm Infosys fell more than 1% after it moderated the top end of its full-year revenue forecast to between 1.5% and 3% amid continued macroeconomic uncertainty. HCL Tech, Tech Mahindra, Tata Consultancy Services and Sun Pharma were the winners.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading 0.03% lower at $100.7 per barrel. “Complete uncertainty and high volatility in the markets continues without any sign of immediate respite. The attack on Saudi oil tankers by the Iran-backed Houthis in the Red Sea is the main reason for the recent sharp rise in Brent crude oil to around $100. Such a high price is sure to reignite concerns over India’s balance of payments,” said VK Vijayakumar, chief investment strategist at Geojit Investments Limited.
Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) offloaded shares worth Rs 2,999.23 crore on Thursday (July 23, 2026), according to exchange data. In Asian markets, South Korea’s KOSPI plummeted 5.56%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index, Shanghai’s SSE Composite index and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index were also trading lower. US markets ended lower on Thursday (July 23, 2026).
On Thursday (July 23, 2026), the Sensex fell 363.66 points, or 0.47%, to settle at 76,391.39. The Nifty fell 126.65 points, or 0.53%, to end at 23,869.60.
Published – July 24, 2026 11:21 am IST