Sensex Drops from Weekly High

2026-03-19 04:19 By Jereli Escobar 1 min. read

India’s BSE Sensex fell about 2% down at 75,176 on Thursday, retreating from a one-week high after three consecutive sessions of gains, as oil prices surged above $110 per barrel amid escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Investor sentiment remained cautious, with rising concerns over higher inflation and a weaker economic outlook.

Adding to the pressure, the US Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged at 3.75%, signaling that interest rates may stay elevated, dampening expectations of near-term rate cuts and prompting continued outflows from equities.

In addition, reports note that HDFC Bank’s chairman resigned over concerns related to values and ethics, leading to a drop of about 7% in its US-listed shares.

All stock sectors traded in the red, led by financials and technology.

Notable decliners included HDFC Bank (-4.2%), Larsen & Toubro (-3.4%), Axis Bank (-2.8%), Eternal (-2.8%), and ICICI Bank (-1.9%).



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