Sensex Falls Near 1-Year Low at Week Start
2026-03-23 04:27
By
Jereli Escobar
1 min. read
India’s BSE Sensex fell about 1.7% to 73,249 on Monday, reversing the prior session’s gains and hitting its lowest level since April 2025, as a broad Asian sell-off weighed on sentiment amid rising crude prices and escalating geopolitical tensions.
As a major oil importer, India faces rising concerns over higher inflation, a widening trade deficit, currency weakness, and slower economic growth.
Foreign investors reportedly pulled out about $9.57 billion in March, the largest outflow since October 2024.
Corporate developments were also in focus, with Petronet LNG’s target price cut on potential supply disruptions, HDFC Bank pressured by its chairman’s resignation, and developments involving tax demand issues at State Bank of India and a regulatory directive affecting Tata Power.
All sectors traded in the red, led by heavyweight financials, with notable declines in HDFC Bank (-2.4%), ICICI Bank (-1.4%), Multi Commodity Exchange (-3.9%), State Bank of India (-3.3%), and BSE (-2.4%).