Sensex Extends Losing Streak
2026-04-23 04:36
By
Jereli Escobar
1 min. read
India’s BSE Sensex fell about 0.6% to 78,032 on Thursday, pressured by surging oil prices and escalating Middle East tensions.
Brent Crude rose above $100 per barrel for a fourth straight session after Iran seized two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, heightening concerns over supply disruptions and inflation.
Sentiment was further dampened after HSBC downgraded Indian equities to “underweight,” citing risks to growth and demand in an import-reliant economy.
Foreign investors remained net sellers for a second straight session, offloading shares worth $221.56 million last Wednesday, adding to downside pressure.
On the corporate front, SBI Life Insurance posted weaker earnings, while Trent delivered strong quarterly growth, driving stock-specific moves.
Early laggards included Trent (-3.7%), even after reporting a 26% jump in quarterly profit, as well as HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Reliance Industries, HCL Tech, and Vedanta which declined between 0.5% and 1.8%, and Havells which dropped 5.6%.