Mumbai, August 14, 2026: Indian equity markets opened on a cautious note on Friday, with both benchmark indices declining as renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East weighed on investor sentiment.
At 9:15 a.m. IST, the BSE Sensex fell 178 points, or 0.23 per cent, to 77,903.43, while the NSE Nifty 50 slipped 34 points, or 0.14 per cent, to 24,361.90.
The weakness was broad-based, with 15 of the 16 major sectoral indices trading in negative territory during the opening session. Broader market indices, however, remained relatively steady.
Investors are keeping a close watch on developments in the Middle East, crude oil prices, global market cues and foreign institutional investor activity. The cautious opening comes after both Sensex and Nifty recorded weekly declines of around 0.8 per cent through Thursday.
Market participants are expected to remain selective through the session as global geopolitical risks continue to influence risk appetite.
