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Indian equity benchmarks declined on Monday following weak global cues amid escalating conflict between US and Iran. The NSE Nifty 50 fell 0.59% or 143.75 points to 24,190.55. The BSE Sensex declined 0.74% or 581.97 points to 77,569.48.
Asian stock markets started the week on a cautious note, with Japanese shares leading regional losses as investors responded to escalating tensions in the Middle East and lingering uncertainty surrounding artificial intelligence-driven technology stocks.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 4.03%, while South Korea’s Kospi eased 0.38%. Australia’s ASX 200 bucked the broader trend, rising 0.30%.
Market sentiment weakened after the conflict in the Middle East intensified, lifting energy prices and reviving worries that higher fuel costs could complicate the global inflation outlook. Brent crude briefly surged nearly 4% to trade above $91 a barrel, its highest level since mid-June, as military exchanges expanded beyond conventional targets.
The renewed geopolitical uncertainty came on top of mounting pressure in the technology sector. Investors have become increasingly selective after questioning whether the substantial capital being poured into artificial intelligence will ultimately generate earnings that support current market valuations. That scepticism has triggered another wave of selling in semiconductor shares.
Demand for traditional safe-haven assets also increased. The U.S. dollar strengthened against most major currencies, while Treasury futures declined, lifting implied yields on benchmark government debt. Cash trading in U.S. Treasuries, however, remained closed during Asian hours because of a public holiday in Japan.
With geopolitical tensions showing little sign of easing and investors continuing to scrutinise the outlook for AI-related companies, market participants remained cautious at the start of the week, keeping a close watch on both energy prices and corporate earnings for the next direction in global equities.
