Sensex is trading at 74,560 and Nifty nears 23,148 as investors remain cautious due to rising crude oil prices and ongoing US-Iran conflict.
IT and Oil & Gas stocks were the worst performers of the day. Meanwhile, metals managed modest gains with Hindalco and JSW Steel rising even as other sectors struggled.
IDBI Bank stock plunged nearly 15% after the government decided to scrap its stake sale plan. At the same time, Adani Power jumped over 4% after winning a major 25-year power supply agreement.
The stock market today showed bearish signals, as any intraday recovery is being met with immediate selling pressure. Sensex was down just 3.82 points or 0.01% at 74,560.10. Meanwhile, Nifty slipped a marginal 3.05 points to 23,148.05. On NSE, about 2,781 shares declined while only 1,062 advanced. The pressure is coming from two main sources, US-Iran war and oil prices. Brent crude is above $103-$105 per barrel today, and the Middle East conflict enters its third week.
Here’s everything you need to know about the stock market today based on Moneycontrol Live Updates.
BSE IT index fell 1.5%, its eighth straight day of losses. Among the worst hit were Happiest Minds (down 6.1%), Birlasoft (down 5.27%), and KPIT Tech (down 3.74%). BSE Oil & Gas index dropped 2.9%, with IOC falling 3.04%, HPCL down 2.66%, and BPCL down 2.32%. BSE Realty slipped 2.39%, with Oberoi Realty down 3.32% and Prestige Estate falling 2.97%.
On the other hand, BSE Metal gained 0.12%, with Hindalco up 2.13% to Rs. 928.85 and JSW Steel up 1.8% to Rs. 1,139.20. Auto and FMCG indices also managed to stay marginally in the green.
Here are the most active stocks, top gainers and losers on Nifty 50 based on Moneycontrol data at press time.
| Most Active Stocks | Top Gainers | Top Losers |
|---|---|---|
| HDFC Bank (1.74%) | UltraTech Cement (3.49%) | Bharat Elec (-2.92%) |
| Larsen (-0.11%) | Grasim (2.52%) | Shriram Finance (-2.23%) |
| Bharti Airtel (-1.22%) | Hindalco (1.97%) | Coal India (-2.23%) |
| Reliance (-0.25%) | HDFC Bank (1.77%) | ONGC (-1.93%) |
IDBI Bank stock crashed nearly 15% to Rs. 78.70 after reports confirmed the government is set to scrap its stake sale. This decision comes as bids received fell below the reserve price.
Adani Power share price jumped over 4% to Rs. 153.35 after receiving a Letter of Award for supplying 1,600 MW of thermal power under a 25-year agreement.
InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo) shares rose 1.18% to Rs. 4,206.85. The rally came after an announcement of a fuel surcharge on domestic and international routes effective March 14. The company cited an over 85% surge in jet fuel prices due to the Middle East conflict.
Hindalco Industries clarified that reports of it halting aluminium product sales were false. The company confirmed all operations are running normally, with any potential impact limited to less than 0.1% of overall operations. The stock traded up 2.13% at Rs. 928.85.
LTIMindtree rose 0.33% to Rs. 4,217.65 after announcing a partnership with IIT Kharagpur to build deep-dive AI training programs for its workforce.
Railtel Corporation dropped 3.76% to Rs. 267.45, touching a 52-week low of Rs. 265.55, despite bagging two new contracts. One is worth Rs. 29.90 crore from UP Police, and another is worth Rs. 34.29 crore from South Central Railway for signalling and telecom work at Guntur Junction.
Britannia Industries was flat at Rs. 5,812.85. Shareholders have approved the appointment of Rakshit Hargave as CEO and Managing Director for a five-year term, effective December 15.
Indian rupee opened flat at 92.44 against the dollar before slipping to 92.43, losing 13 paise in early trade. The currency is under pressure from FII outflows and surging crude prices.
Gold on MCX dropped over 1%, with April futures falling Rs. 1,800 or 1.14% to Rs. 1,56,655 per 10 grams. Spot gold traded near $5,007-$5,017 per ounce, down slightly as hopes for a near-term US Fed rate cut faded. Silver crashed from Rs. 4,300 to Rs. 2,55,101 per kg on MCX.
On the macro side, February WPI inflation came in at 2.13%, up from 1.81% in January. Food inflation rose to 1.85% from 1.41%.
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) net sold Rs. 10,716 crore worth of Indian equities on March 13 alone, the largest single-session outflow of 2026. Year-to-date FII net selling now stands at Rs. 1,07,575 crore. DIIs continue to absorb this pressure, with net buying of Rs. 9,977 crore on the same day. Thus, taking their 2026 total to Rs. 1,68,965 crore.
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The stock market today is looking for a catalyst to break out of this range. Technical levels suggest that as long as Nifty holds the 23,000 mark, there is a possibility of a bounce toward 23,600 or 23,990. However, the risk remains to the downside; a sustained close below 22,900 would likely signal a deeper correction toward the 22,000 level. For Sensex, the 73,000-73,600 zone is the immediate support to watch while it trades below the 75,000 resistance. Investors should avoid chasing rallies in high-PE stocks until the US-Iran conflict cools down.
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The stock market is under pressure mainly due to rising crude oil prices and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Brent crude has climbed above $103 per barrel as the US-Iran conflict enters its third week. Higher oil prices increase inflation concerns and raise costs for many businesses. At the same time, foreign investors have been selling Indian equities, which has added to the negative sentiment in the market.
The latest share market news shows mixed movements across sectors. IDBI Bank stock dropped sharply after the government decided not to proceed with its stake sale. On the positive side, Adani Power shares rose after the company secured a long-term power supply contract. IndiGo shares also gained after introducing a fuel surcharge to offset rising jet fuel prices caused by the Middle East conflict.
Sensex is trading around 74,560 while Nifty is near 23,148 during the current session. Both indices are moving within a narrow range as investors remain cautious. The market is facing selling pressure whenever it attempts to recover during the day. Analysts say Nifty must hold the 23,000 level to avoid a deeper correction in the near term.
IDBI Bank stock fell nearly 15% after reports confirmed that the government is scrapping its plan to sell its stake in the bank. The bids received for the sale were reportedly below the reserve price, leading to the cancellation of the process. Investors reacted negatively to the news, which caused a sharp decline in the share price during the trading session.
The market is currently waiting for a strong trigger to move decisively in either direction. Technical indicators suggest that if Nifty holds above 23,000, it could attempt a rebound toward 23,600 or even 23,990. However, if the index falls below 22,900, analysts warn that a deeper correction toward 22,000 could occur in the coming sessions.
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