India’s BSE Sensex slipped around 0.4% to 72,970 on Friday, marking a fourth straight session of losses as surging crude oil prices and rising geopolitical tensions continued to dampen risk appetite. Brent crude advanced to $113.50 per barrel amid intensifying tensions in the Middle East and mounting worries over potential supply disruptions following Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. The sustained rise in oil prices is stoking concerns about India’s import bill, inflation trajectory, and corporate profit margins, keeping investors on edge.
A rebound in technology counters, tracking gains in overseas markets after a sharp sell-off in AI-related stocks, offered only modest support to the benchmark. Most sectors opened in the red, with technology the lone gainer. Shares of Infosys, TCS, HCL Tech, and Wipro rose between 1.6% and 3.1%.
On the downside, notable laggards included State Bank of India (-0.6%), Cupid (-4.2%), Tech Mahindra (-0.9%), and BSE (-1.2%). For the week so far, the Sensex remains on course for a 2.4% decline.
