Indian equity benchmark indices, the Sensex and Nifty, started the session on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in the red amid mixed global cues as Brent crude oil continued to rise amid escalating US-Iran conflict. While the 30-share BSE Sensex dropped 239.95 points or 0.31 per cent to start the session at 76,515.10, the Nifty shed 91.45 points to open at 23,904.80. In the last trading session, the Sensex closed at 76,755.05 and the Nifty 50 at 23,996.25. Similarly, the broader indices traded in the red in the early trading session. While the BSE Midcap Select Index was down by 66.98 points, the BSE Smallcap Select Index dropped 32.51 points or 0.37 per cent, to trade in the red at 8,643.29.ย
From the Sensex pack, Eternal, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hindustan Unilever, HCL Tech and TCS were the gainers, with Eternal leading the pack by gaining nearly 2.08 per cent in the early trade. On the other hand, Indigo, Bajaj Finance, SBIN, UltraTech Cement, and Tata Steel were among the losers, with Indigo being the top loser by falling over 1.56 per cent.ย
In early trade, market breadth was negative, with 1,071 stocks advancing against 1,430 stocks declining on the NSE. 92 stocks remained unchanged.ย
โFrom the market perspective, this negative sentiments will weigh on stock markets and keep stock prices largely subdued. This will give opportunities to long-term investors to slowly accumulate high quality stocks in growth segments, now available at attractive valuations. Banking stocks appear attractively valued, particularly in the context of high credit growth and very low NPAs. Q1 results of consumer- facing digital companies reflect robust growth, indicating bright prospects,” said Dr VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited.
What did Gift Nifty indicate?
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Gift Nifty, an early indicator for the Nifty 50, indicated a negative start today as it opened with a fall of 77.5 points at 23,884, compared to the previous close of 23,961.50. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) turned sellers and sold equities worth Rs 819.20 crore on July 22, 2026. Similarly, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) remained sellers for the second consecutive day and sold equities worth Rs 418.26 crore.ย
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Asian Markets Todayย
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Asian shares inched higher on Thursday after major US technology companies reaffirmed aggressive AI and infrastructure spending plans. However, US stocks ended lower as crude oil prices surged further to a six-week high amid growing geopolitical tensions. Japan’s Nikkei 225 was up by 344.40 points or 0.52 per cent at 66,460 at the time of writing the report. Similarly, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 368.34 points or 1.48 per cent. South Korea’s Kospi traded in the green with a gain of 224.08 points. However, Shanghai’s SSE Composite index was in the red with a drop of 7.34 points or 0.19 per cent.ย