India’s BSE Sensex Index fell nearly 2% to below 71,700 on Thursday, giving back the previous session’s 1.8% advance, as sentiment weakened across Asian markets following remarks by US President Donald Trump on the Iran conflict. In a televised address, Trump said Washington’s “core strategic objectives” in the war were close to being achieved but offered no clear timeline for its conclusion, warning instead that the US could strike Iran “extremely hard” over the next two to three weeks. The absence of a clear de-escalation path reignited geopolitical concerns, pushing crude oil prices higher and pressuring regional equities.
Losses were broad-based, with nearly all sectors in negative territory, led by financials and banking stocks. Notable decliners included HDFC Bank (-1.1%), Axis Bank (-2.7%), Bajaj Finance (-2.2%), and Shriram Finance (-3.4%). On the macroeconomic front, investors are awaiting the final manufacturing PMI figures for further insight into the country’s economic health.
