The SENSEX Index Closes 0.58% Lower

India's BSE Sensex closed about 0.6% down at 78,499.2 on Friday, reversing gains from the previous two sessions, pressured by higher oil prices and heavyweights financials. Investor sentiment remained subdued amid geopolitical concerns, with uncertainty surrounding the prospects for a US-Iran deal. Bajaj Finance slumped 5.9%, leading losses after a draft RBI proposal raised concerns over potential restrictions on certain revolving credit products. Bajaj Finserv, ICICI Bank, Trent, Bharti Airtel and Eternal were also among the major laggards.On the upside, technology stocks rallied, led by Tata Consultancy Services (3.5%), Tech Mahindra (0.9%), Infosys (0.7%) and HCLTech (0.6%). State Bank of India added around 1% after reporting a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit, supported by healthy loan growth. For the week, the index advanced 0.5%.

The SENSEX Index decreased 456 points or 0.58 percent on Friday to close at 78499 points. The decline was led by Bajaj Finance (-5.56%), Bajaj Finserv (-3.93%) and ICICI Bank (-2.23%). On the upside, the strongest performers were Tata Consultancy (3.46%), Mahindra & Mahindra (2.82%) and HCL Tech (1.07%).

India's BSE Sensex fell about 0.4% to 78,692 at the open on Friday, reversing gains from the previous two sessions as financial stocks weighed and investors turned cautious amid rising crude oil prices and escalating Middle East tensions. Financials led the declines, offsetting support from sustained foreign fund inflows. Brent crude climbed above $83 a barrel on concerns over potential shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz, fueling inflation worries for the oil-importing nation. Financial losses were led by Bajaj Finance (-3.9%), Bajaj Finserv (-3.2%), and Shriram Finance (-1.4%). Even so, the benchmark remained on track for a second straight weekly gain of about 0.8%, supported by continued foreign institutional investor buying. Among earnings, Britannia Industries fell after missing quarterly profit estimates due to higher fuel and shipping costs, while Life Insurance Corporation posted a 23% rise in quarterly profit on improved margins.