Stock Market Live Updates | Sensex, Nifty Trade Cautiously as US-Iran Tensions Rattle Markets

The Sensex stood at 77,325.82, down 215.01 points or 0.28% from the previous close of 77,540.83. The index weakened sharply after 11 am, falling below 77,400 and touching nearly 77,320 before a marginal recovery. The benchmark remained under pressure during the session.

The Nifty stood at 24,193.90, down 58.10 points or 0.24% from the previous close of 24,252. The index slipped sharply after 11 am, touching nearly 24,180 before recovering modestly. It remained below the previous close amid sustained intraday pressure.

Muthoot Finance futures gained 4.25%, while open interest climbed 14.88% in the September contract, indicating a long build-up. The August contract also advanced 4.27%, accompanied by a 12.82% rise in open interest, highlighting increased bullish activity across near-term futures positions.

Gift Nifty signalled a positive start for Indian equities on August 24. Market expert Vaishali Parekh recommended Wockhardt, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Power Grid Corporation for intraday trading. Her recommendations include specific buy levels, targets and stop-losses as investors assess market momentum amid mixed global cues and ongoing geopolitical concerns.

Nifty PSU Bank stocks traded lower intraday, with Bank of Baroda falling 2.13% to Rs. 241.74, followed by Canara Bank at 1.63%. SBI declined 0.83%, PNB 0.63%, Bank of India 0.52%, Punjab & Sind Bank 0.43%, and Union Bank 0.15%.

Several stocks are likely to remain in focus today on company-specific developments. Reliance Industries, Power Grid, JSW Infrastructure, Kaynes Technology, Federal Bank, and IREDA feature among key names to watch. IREDA has set September 11 as the record date for its proposed Rs. 0.75 final dividend, while Power Grid won a renewable-energy transmission project in Gujarat.

Bank Nifty declined 0.90% since the last expiry, even as futures open interest climbed 26.24%. In the options segment, call open interest jumped 187.16%, while put open interest rose 158.94%. Overall options open interest increased 159.29%, indicating a sharp rise in derivatives activity as the index moved lower.

The Nifty stood at 24,221.90, down 30.10 points or 0.12% from the previous close of 24,252. The index witnessed a sharp intraday decline after trading around 24,280, falling below 24,230 near 11 am. It remained in negative territory.

The Sensex stood at 77,616.79, gaining 75.96 points or 0.10% from the previous close of 77,540.83. The index saw early volatility, slipping from higher levels before recovering. It remained above 77,600 during the latest trading session.