Indian markets open lower as West Asia tensions and rising oil prices weigh on global sentiment

NEW DELHI: Indian markets opened lower amid oil fears, as fresh tensions in the Strait of Hormuz pushed crude prices up, creating uncertainty across global indices. The BSE Sensex stood at 78,347.74 points, down 194.70 points or 0.25 per cent, while the NSE Nifty 50 stood at 24,539.75 points, down 44.05 points or 0.18 per cent.

Devarsh Vakil, Head of Prime Research at HDFC Securities, highlighted the international developments impacting global risk appetite. “US stocks pulled back from record highs Monday as renewed uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz reignited inflation fears ahead of this week’s CPI report. The S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Nasdaq Composite all closed modestly lower, snapping a two-week rally,” Vakil said.

At the time of reporting, the US markets showed slight downward momentum with Dow Jones standing at 53,961.20, down by 13.79 points (-0.03%). The S&P 500 traded at 7,753.11, posting a modest decline of 4.53 points (-0.06%), while the Nasdaq saw a larger dip, falling 85.26 points (-0.32%) to reach 26,605.36.

“WTI and Brent crude climbed to $82 and $88 a barrel, respectively, after President Trump demanded compensation from Iran, dimming hopes of a near-term reopening. No agreement has materialised, and positions in Washington and Tehran have hardened,” Vakil stated.

At the time of reporting, oil markets showed marginal movements, with Brent Crude easing by USD 0.08 (-0.09%) to USD 87.64, while Crude Oil traded flat, nudging up USD 0.01 (+0.02%) to USD 82.14. Gold posted notable gains, rising USD 24.99 (+0.57%) to trade at USD 4,416.33.

On the domestic macroeconomic front, Vakil noted the underlying business momentum’s resilience despite short-term market volatility. Indian E-way bill generation rose 5.98 per cent year-on-year to 139.79 million in July 2026, marking the second-highest monthly total on record. For now, domestic stock movements remain largely tied to global energy developments and ongoing quarterly corporate earnings disclosures.

Rajesh Palviya, Head of Research at Axis Direct, weighed in on the morning market backdrop, detailing the technical path forward for the domestic benchmark index.

“The market undertone remains subdued with a persistent cautious bias as long as the Nifty trades below the 24,700-24,730 resistance zone, which has repeatedly capped upward momentum. A decisive breakout above this hurdle could clear the path toward 24,850. On the downside, immediate support is placed at 24,500-24,450; a breach of this band risks exposing the index to 24,300 levels. That said, any tangible diplomatic progress regarding the Strait of Hormuz could quickly deflate the crude risk premium and trigger a sharp relief rally,” Palviya noted.

Adani Enterprises Limited stocks rose to Rs 3,015.30, up by Rs 5.30 or (+0.18%) after US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis of the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York dismissed criminal charges against Gautam and Sagar Adani on Monday. (ANI)