Indian Stocks Plummet Amid Geopolitical Tensions and Crude Oil Prices

Indian stocks fell on Monday due to persistent geopolitical tensions and elevated crude oil prices. The Sensex, India's benchmark equity index, dropped 171.72 points or 0.22% to settle at 77,369.11. The Nifty, another key Indian stock index, slipped 32.95 points or 0.14% to end at 24,219.05.

Among the Sensex firms, Adani Ports, Bharat Electronics, Bajaj Finance, and Tata Consultancy Services were among the laggards. In contrast, Tata Steel, HCL Tech, Infosys, and Hindustan Unilever were among the major winners.

The global oil benchmark, Brent crude, dropped 1.68% to $92.80 per barrel. Investors remained cautious ahead of fresh US sanctions on Iran, which are expected to be implemented later today. The Iranian government has threatened to halt Gulf oil exports in response to the sanctions, further escalating tensions.