Indian equity markets extended their losing streak for a fifth consecutive session, with Sensex and Nifty closing in the red. The decline is attributed to rising crude oil prices, which continue to weigh on investor sentiment.

The equity markets extended their losing streak for the fifth consecutive session on Monday, with both benchmark indices closing in the red as rising crude oil prices continued to weigh on investor sentiment. The Nifty 50 index closed at 24,287.65, down 78.35 points or 0.32 per cent, while the BSE Sensex ended at 77,728.16, lower by 281.09 points or 0.36 per cent.

Expert Commentary on Market Sentiment

Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments said, "Energy-led input cost pressures continue to influence near-term market sentiment. However, stronger-than-expected Q1FY27 earnings, driven by a combination of pricing actions and volume growth, are likely to support earnings upgrades in the coming quarters. While the benefit of low-cost inventory aided profitability during the quarter, its sustainability remains a key monitorable, as higher-cost replenishment could constrain margin expansion in Q2FY27".

Sectoral Indices Performance

Sectoral indices on the NSE showed a mixed trend at the close. The Nifty IT index declined 1.84 per cent, while the Nifty Pharma index fell 0.31 per cent and the Nifty PSU Bank index declined 0.12 per cent. On the other hand, Nifty Auto gained 0.23 per cent, Nifty Media rose 0.42 per cent, Nifty Metal advanced 1.39 per cent, while Nifty Private Bank gained 0.69 per cent. Among the Nifty 50 stocks, Hindalco, Tata Steel, HDFC Life, ONGC, Axis Bank and L&T were among the top gainers. The top losers included HCL Tech, Infosys, Sun Pharma, TCS and Nestle India.

Crude Oil Prices a Major Headwind

Hariselvan Radhakrishnan, Founder and CEO of HST Wealth, said the markets remained under pressure despite recovering from their intraday lows. "Indian equity markets extended their losing streak for a fifth consecutive session on Monday as elevated crude oil prices continued to weigh on investor sentiment despite a recovery from intraday lows," he said.

He said the broader market tone remained cautious, with crude oil prices continuing to remain a key concern for Indian equities. "While softer U.S. economic data has strengthened expectations of a less restrictive Federal Reserve, the continued strength in crude oil prices, driven by the unresolved Gulf conflict, remains a significant headwind for Indian equities," Radhakrishnan said.

He added that India, as a major oil importer, remains particularly vulnerable to sustained increases in energy prices. "As a major oil importer, India remains particularly vulnerable to sustained increases in energy prices, keeping investors cautious as the benchmark indices approach important technical levels," he said.

Commodities and Asian Markets

Crude oil prices remained elevated, with Brent crude rising 1.01 per cent to USD 89.42 per barrel at the time of filing this report. Gold and silver prices also moved higher on Monday. Gold prices rose 0.41 per cent to Rs 1,55,139 per 10 grams for 24 karat, while silver prices gained 0.56 per cent to Rs 2,37,254 per kg at the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, other Asian markets mostly ended higher. Japan's Nikkei 225 gained 0.72 per cent to close at 69,211, while Singapore's Straits Times rose 0.43 per cent to 5,768. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gained 1.37 per cent to 25,465, while Taiwan's weighted index advanced 0.10 per cent to 45,857. (ANI)

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