Rs 12 lakh crore shock! Sensex, Nifty wipe out 3-day gains on fag-end selling; what’s ahead?
Investors’ wealth plummeted by Rs 12 lakh crore in today’s session, as the combined market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies declined to Rs 426 lakh crore, compared with Rs 438 lakh crore in the previous session.
- Mar 19, 2026,
- Updated Mar 19, 2026 4:04 PM IST
Domestic equity benchmarks BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty snapped their three-day winning streak on Thursday as fag-end selling erased three sessions gains, weighed down by rising crude oil prices amid West Asia conflicts and escalated tensions between the US, Israel, and Iran.
At close, the Sensex slumped 2,496.89 points, or 3.26 per cent, to close at 74,207.24, while the Nifty plunged 775.65 points, or 3.26 per cent, to end at 23,002.15. Both benchmark indices wiped out their combined gains from the previous three sessions.
Despite intermittent intraday recovery attempts, the 50 pack index failed to maintain higher level, said Ajit Mishra, SVP, Research at Religare Broking Ltd.
“The sharp rise in crude oil prices—driven by escalating tensions in the Middle East and concerns over supply disruptions—pushed prices closer to the $119 mark, adding to the negative sentiment,” said Mishra.
Investors’ wealth plummeted by Rs 12 lakh crore in today’s session, as the combined market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies declined to Rs 426 lakh crore, compared with Rs 438 lakh crore in the previous session.
Relentless FII selling pushed the rupee to a new all-time low, while widespread selling was prompted by concerns about rising input costs, potential fuel supply disruptions, and slowdown fears, said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited.
Top gainers & losers
All stocks closed in the red on the Sensex. Eternal emerged as the top loser, falling 5.65% to Rs 228.90. Bajaj Finance followed with a 5.42% decline, while Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), HDFC Bank, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo) fell 5.25%, 5.13%, 4.72% and 4.66%, respectively.
Five stocks, namely HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, L&T, Infosys, and Reliance Industries, contributed largely to the Sensex’s crash.
Among sectoral indices, the BSE Auto index plunged 4.07% to settle at 54,333.43, while the BSE Private Banks index declined 3.61% to close at 18,452.38.
“It is prudent to prefer option strategies over naked positions in the benchmark, while adopting a selective approach in stock-specific trades, with a strong emphasis on managing overnight risk,” said Mishra.
“Stock-specific pressure was seen in HDFC Bank following the exit of its part-time chairman. Current volatility may persist in the near term due to elevated oil prices and the new wave of attacks in the Middle East," Nair added.
“Unless there is a meaningful easing in crude oil prices or clarity on global policy direction, markets are likely to remain volatile with a continued sell-on-rise bias in the near term,” said Hariprasad K, SEBI-registered research analyst and founder at Livelong Wealth.
Domestic equity benchmarks BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty snapped their three-day winning streak on Thursday as fag-end selling erased three sessions gains, weighed down by rising crude oil prices amid West Asia conflicts and escalated tensions between the US, Israel, and Iran.
At close, the Sensex slumped 2,496.89 points, or 3.26 per cent, to close at 74,207.24, while the Nifty plunged 775.65 points, or 3.26 per cent, to end at 23,002.15. Both benchmark indices wiped out their combined gains from the previous three sessions.
Despite intermittent intraday recovery attempts, the 50 pack index failed to maintain higher level, said Ajit Mishra, SVP, Research at Religare Broking Ltd.
“The sharp rise in crude oil prices—driven by escalating tensions in the Middle East and concerns over supply disruptions—pushed prices closer to the $119 mark, adding to the negative sentiment,” said Mishra.
Investors’ wealth plummeted by Rs 12 lakh crore in today’s session, as the combined market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies declined to Rs 426 lakh crore, compared with Rs 438 lakh crore in the previous session.
Relentless FII selling pushed the rupee to a new all-time low, while widespread selling was prompted by concerns about rising input costs, potential fuel supply disruptions, and slowdown fears, said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited.
Top gainers & losers
All stocks closed in the red on the Sensex. Eternal emerged as the top loser, falling 5.65% to Rs 228.90. Bajaj Finance followed with a 5.42% decline, while Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), HDFC Bank, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo) fell 5.25%, 5.13%, 4.72% and 4.66%, respectively.
Five stocks, namely HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, L&T, Infosys, and Reliance Industries, contributed largely to the Sensex’s crash.
Among sectoral indices, the BSE Auto index plunged 4.07% to settle at 54,333.43, while the BSE Private Banks index declined 3.61% to close at 18,452.38.
“It is prudent to prefer option strategies over naked positions in the benchmark, while adopting a selective approach in stock-specific trades, with a strong emphasis on managing overnight risk,” said Mishra.
“Stock-specific pressure was seen in HDFC Bank following the exit of its part-time chairman. Current volatility may persist in the near term due to elevated oil prices and the new wave of attacks in the Middle East," Nair added.
“Unless there is a meaningful easing in crude oil prices or clarity on global policy direction, markets are likely to remain volatile with a continued sell-on-rise bias in the near term,” said Hariprasad K, SEBI-registered research analyst and founder at Livelong Wealth.