Stock Market Impact: Nifty 50 fell 0.94% to 23,264.75 and BSE Sensex dropped 0.85% to 74,021.37 in early trade, driven by higher crude oil prices, a weaker rupee and concerns over foreign institutional investor (FII) outflows.
Listed Companies and Sectors: IT stocks showed resilience with Infosys Ltd, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd and HDFC Bank Ltd among top gainers; financial and energy stocks lagged, with ICICI Bank Ltd, Reliance Industries Ltd and BSE Ltd among top losers.
Investment Flows: Persistent outflows by foreign institutional investors were highlighted as a key headwind for Indian equities throughout 2026.
Interest Rates, Inflation, and Liquidity: Crude oil WTI rose to $94.75 (+1.06%) and Brent to $96.92 (+0.96%), raising inflationary pressure and expectations of higher import bills; the USD/INR traded at 95.531 (+0.28%), reflecting currency weakness.
Fiscal or Monetary Policy: No direct policy announcements were reported; market participants remained focused on inflation risks, interest‑rate expectations and global growth outlook.
