Indian equities finished just above the flatline on Thursday, extending the subdued trading pattern seen since Monday’s test of two‑month lows, as persistent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continued to weigh on sentiment. The S&P BSE Sensex ended at 23,416, while the NSE Nifty 50 settled at 74,360.
Escalating strikes between Iran and US allies in the Persian Gulf further undermined a fragile ceasefire and prolonged the blockade of tankers leaving the region. The resulting pressure on crude flows weakened the rupee and prompted foreign investors to rotate out of Indian assets. The disruption also fueled speculation that the Reserve Bank of India could raise interest rates at its meeting tomorrow, though a slim majority of market participants still expects the central bank to remain on hold.
Sector-wise, technology shares led the decline, mirroring weakness in US tech counters after earnings from Broadcom and CrowdStrike. Infosys fell 1.7% and HCL Tech slipped 0.6%. In contrast, banking stocks were mostly firmer, with ICICI Bank and IndusInd Bank each gaining close to 1%.
