New Delhi, 02 March (H.S.): Domestic markets crashed on the week's opening day amid escalating Middle East geopolitical tensions, erasing ₹6.55 lakh crore in investor wealth despite intraday recovery bids.US-Iran clashes fueled global sell-offs, with BSE firms' market cap shedding ₹7.80 lakh crore in the first second of trade.
Sensex closed 1.29% lower at 80,238.85 (down 1,048 points); Nifty settled 1.24% off at 24,865.70 (down 313 points)—Friday's losses extended.
Volatility and Sector Woes
Sensex opened at a brutal 78,543.73 (-2,743 points), rebounding ~2,000 points to 80,632 before sellers dominated, with late buying limiting damage. Nifty mirrored: opened 24,659 (-519), hit 24,989 intra-day, bottomed 24,603, recovered to close.
BSE market cap fell to ₹456.95 lakh crore from Friday's ₹463.50 lakh crore. All indices bar defense, metals, healthcare closed red; Middle East-exposed stocks tanked. Nifty Midcap (-1.58%), Smallcap (-1.75%) bled.
Trading Snapshot
BSE: 4,528 stocks traded; 824 up, 3,560 down, 144 flat.
NSE: 2,975 active; 474 advance, 2,501 decline.
Sensex: 3 gainers, 27 losers.
Nifty 50: 8 up, 42 down.
Top Gainers: BEL (+2.08%), Hindalco (+1.65%), ONGC (+0.89%), Sun Pharma (+0.89%), Dr Reddy's (+0.63%).
Top Losers: IndiGo (-6.36%), L&T (-4.95%), Adani Ports (-3.33%), Maruti (-3.16%), Trent (-3.15%).
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
