Today, Monday (30 March) started with a huge fall in the global markets. The Sensex fell by 1,100 points as soon as the opening bell rang. Nifty was also trading around 22,500 level with a fall of more than 300 points. At 09:24 am, the Sensex was down by 1,029 points at 72,553. Nifty was down by 289 points at 22,516. Bank Nifty was down by 1,372 points at 50,902.
Large-scale selling was seen across the market. The PSU Bank index declined by more than 2 percent. All other sectoral indices were also trading in the red. India VIX fell by 7%. The metal index was the only index that managed to trade in the green (light green). The private bank index declined nearly 3 percent, while the NBFC index slipped 2 percent. Pharma, FMCG and auto sectors also saw a decline of more than 1 percent. Among the Nifty 50 stocks, Hindalco, Coal India, ONGC, BEL, Reliance and Power Grid were the biggest gainers. On the contrary, the biggest decline was seen in Axis Bank, Kotak Bank, Max Health, SBI Life, Trent, Bajaj Finserv and Bharti Airtel.
GIFT Nifty is trading with a huge fall. Since the markets will remain closed on Tuesday due to Mahavir Jayanti holiday, it is expected to see huge fluctuations in the market today also due to the expiry of monthly derivatives.
weak global signals; Heavy fall in GIFT Nifty
Amid rising tensions in the Middle East, GIFT Nifty has fallen almost 275 points to near the level of 22,550. At the same time, Dow Futures have also fallen by 250 points. A huge decline was also seen in the Asian market, in which the markets of Japan and South Korea declined by about 4%.
Rise in crude oil prices; Brent crosses $108
Amidst the growing threat of war, crude oil prices are continuously rising. Brent crude prices have risen nearly 6% since Friday, crossing $108 a barrel. Rising oil prices may raise concerns for import-dependent countries like India.
Increasing conflict in the Middle East: Deadlock continues for 31 days
Tension between America, Israel and Iran is continuously increasing. Israel has attacked Iran’s nuclear and industrial facilities, while Iran has responded with missile attacks. Indications indicate that the situation may worsen.
Marine deployment and threat of new conflict
Over the weekend, 3,500 US Marines arrived in the Middle East. Iran has warned that any attack on land will be met with a strong response. Meanwhile, Houthi rebels have also opened a front against Israel, increasing risks in both the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.
Heavy fall in American markets
US markets fell heavily due to rising crude oil prices and rising tensions. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 800 points to a seven-month low, while the Nasdaq fell 450 points to an eight-month low.
Heavy selling by FIIs; Support for DIIs continues
On Friday, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) witnessed heavy selling for the 20th consecutive day, selling shares worth ₹14,116 crore. However, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) provided some support to the market by buying ₹3,566 crore.
Tremendous rise in the prices of gold and silver
Due to increasing demand for safe-haven assets, there has been a tremendous rise in the prices of gold and silver. Gold became costlier by about ₹4,700 and crossed the level of ₹147,200, while silver became costlier by ₹8,000 and closed near ₹228,000. In the global markets too, the prices of both these precious metals registered a rise of about 3%. **RBI’s step to stabilize the rupee**
To arrest the rupee’s fall, the RBI has imposed a $100 million limit on banks’ overnight positions in dollars. As a result, some improvement may be seen in the rupee today.
**Change in government borrowing scheme**
The government plans to borrow ₹8.2 lakh crore during the first half of FY27. Meanwhile, the full-year borrowing target has been reduced to ₹16.09 lakh crore—which is considered a positive step from a fiscal management perspective.
**Big boost to defense sector**
The Defense Ministry has approved several major defense proposals worth ₹2.38 lakh crore. This includes several key purchases—including the S-400 missile system—that could keep defense stocks under eye by investors.
**Today’s Listing and IPO Update**
Shares of Central Mine Planning Company are going to be listed today, whose issue price is ₹172. Investors will keep a close eye on the potential profits from the listing.
**Big decision of SEBI on agricultural commodities**
SEBI has extended the ban on futures trading in seven agri-commodities—including wheat, gram, mustard, soybean and crude palm oil—till March 2027.
