Sensex Slumps Over 700 Points Amid Ukraine Crisis, Nifty Below 16,300; Asian Paints, Hero MotoCorp Top Drags

On BSE, the overall market breadth was weak as 855 shares were advancing while 1,559 were declining.

New Delhi: The Indian equity indices fell sharply on Friday amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis. Asian equity markets suffered heavy losses while oil prices jumped as investors took fright from reports of a nuclear power plant on fire amid fierce fighting between Ukraine and Russian troops.

As of 9:20 am, the benchmark BSE Sensex tanked 723 points or 1.31 per cent to 54,380; while the broader NSE Nifty dived 203 points or 1.23 per cent to 16,295.

Mid-and small-cap shares were trading in the negative zone as Nifty Midcap 100 index slipped 1.29 per cent up and small-cap shares shed 1.40 per cent.

Most of the sector gauges — compiled by the National Stock Exchange — were trading in the red. Nifty Auto and Nifty were underperforming the index by falling as much as 2.52 per cent and 1.86 per cent, respectively, in early trade. However, Nifty Metal moved as much as 0.57 per cent higher.

On the stock-specific front, Asian Paints was the top Nifty loser as the stock cracked 5.18 per cent to Rs 2,723.25. Hero MotoCorp, Maruti, Axis Bank and Hindustan Unilever were also among the laggards.

On BSE, the overall market breadth was weak as 855 shares were advancing while 1,559 were declining.

On the 30-share BSE index, Asian Paints, Maruti, Axis Bank, Titan, Wipro, M&M and Bajaj Finance were among the top losers. In contrast, Tata Steel and NTPC were trading in the green.

Sensex had slipped 366 points or 0.66 per cent to close at 55,103 on Thursday; while Nifty had moved 108 points or 0.65 per cent lower to settle at 16,498.