Sensex Crashes Over 2050 Points, Nifty Below 16,500 As Russia Attacks Ukraine

The BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices were also in the negative territory, down up to 2.8 per cent, respectively. Oil prices soared and topped the $100 a barrel mark for the first time since 2014

New Delhi: The key Indian indices, Sensex and Nifty, on Thursday extended their straight seventh fall and plunged sharply after Russia started military operations in Ukraine.

At 9.45 am, the 30-share BSE Sensex slumped 2,053 points to 55,178, while the NSE Nifty declined to 16,490, down 572 points.

In the broader markets, the BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices were also in the negative territory, down up to 2.8 per cent, respectively.

All the 30 constituents on the Sensex platform were all in the negative zone.

On the bourses, all sectoral indices were bleeding too with maximum losses in Nifty Realty, down 4 per cent. Nifty PSBs, IT, auto metal were up to 3.5 per cent lower. All other indices slipped 2 per cent lower. 

All Sensex constituents were trading with hefty losses, with Airtel, IndusInd Bank, Tech Mahindra, and SBI suffering the most dropping as much as 8 per cent.

Putin's announcement of starting a military operation in Ukraine sent world markets into a tizzy with shares in Asia plunging into deep the red. According to analysts, global markets regrouped, hoping that Western world sanctions on Russia might soften Moscow’s defiant tone and leave some room to avoid a war. Putin said, “I have made the decision of a military operation.”

In the previous session on Tuesday, Sensex declined 68 points to close at 57,232; while Nifty had moved 114 points lower to end at 17,063.

Asian share markets also slumped as Japan’s Nikkei fell 2.17 per cent, South Korea's KOSPI was down 2.66 per cent and the Shanghai Composite index dropped 0.89 per cent.

All the 15 sector gauges, compiled by the National Stock Exchange, were trading in the red. Nifty PSU Bank and Nifty Auto were underperforming the index by falling as much as 3.20 per cent and 2.71 per cent, respectively.

Consequently, oil prices soared and topped the $100 a barrel mark for the first time since 2014 after Russian invasion.             

Continuing their selling spree, foreign institutional investors offloaded shares worth Rs 3,417.16 crore in the Indian capital markets on Wednesday, exchange data showed.