Sensex gains 400 points to 74,356 despite West Asia tensions, crude surge
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
The BSE Sensex climbed as much as 400 points or 0.59% to touch an intraday high of 74,356 on Wednesday, 10 June, even as geopolitical tensions in West Asia escalated and crude oil prices pushed higher. The broader Nifty50 also advanced, rising 0.46% or roughly 100 points to 23,351 in morning trade, defying the risk-off mood gripping most Asian peers.
Sectoral Performance
FMCG stocks led the charge, with the Nifty FMCG index surging 1.5% — the strongest sectoral gain of the session. Nifty Chemicals added 0.67%, Nifty Oil & Gas rose 0.60%, and Nifty Private Bank gained 0.50%, reflecting selective buying across defensives and energy-linked counters.
On the downside, Nifty Metal declined more than 1%, weighed by global demand concerns. Nifty MidSmall IT & Telecom shed 0.62%, while the Auto, Media, and PSU Bank indices traded marginally lower.
Top Losers in Nifty 50
Hindalco Industries was the worst performer among Nifty 50 constituents, shedding nearly 3%. Eternal, Adani Enterprises, NTPC, and Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (TMPV) were among the other notable laggards in early trade.
West Asia Tensions and Crude Oil
Investor sentiment remained cautious after the United States launched strikes on Iran, intensifying fears of a broader regional conflict and its potential disruption to global energy supplies. Despite the anxiety, domestic markets held firm — a divergence from regional trends.
On the commodities front, international benchmark Brent crude rose 0.75% to around $93 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained 0.88% to nearly $90 per barrel. Notably, the Nifty Oil & Gas index's gains suggest markets may be pricing in upstream revenue benefits for domestic energy firms even as import costs rise.
Global Markets Context
Asian markets traded largely in the red. Japan's Nikkei and Hong Kong's Hang Seng each declined more than 1%, while South Korea's KOSPI plunged nearly 4% — one of the sharpest single-session drops in the region this year. Overnight on Wall Street, the S&P 500 slipped 0.26% and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.97%.
What Analysts Are Watching
According to market analysts, weak global cues and geopolitical tensions could keep markets volatile in the near term. However, technical indicators reportedly show signs of stabilisation after recent selling pressure. Analysts noted that the Nifty has strong support around 23,000–23,100, while 23,500–23,600 remains the immediate resistance zone. 'A decisive breakout on either side is likely to determine the market's next directional move,' analysts said. How the West Asia situation evolves and whether crude sustains above $90 will be the key variables heading into the second half of the week.