Sensex, Nifty plunged 10%
India’s Sensex and Nifty tumbled about 10% in March as investors priced in the Iran war, surging energy costs, inflation fears and foreign outflows—five factors local analysts flagged behind the sell‑off (financialexpress.com). The drop reinforces regional market sensitivity to geopolitical shocks and commodity‑linked growth risks (financialexpress.com).
Nifty 50 fell 11.36% in March, its steepest monthly decline since March 2020, and the index closed the last trading day of the month at 22,331.40 while the Sensex ended at 71,947.55 on March 30, 2026. (thehindu.com) Analysts estimate the sell‑off erased roughly ₹41 lakh crore of market value in March and about ₹55 lakh crore year‑to‑date, making March the worst single‑month wealth loss since the COVID rout. (fortuneindia.com) Foreign portfolio investors recorded a record monthly exodus of about ₹1.14 lakh crore (roughly $12.3 billion) from Indian equities in March, amplifying downward pressure on domestic benchmarks. (livemint.com) Global energy shocks fed the rout: Brent crude climbed above $114–$115 a barrel in late March and was on track for its largest monthly gain in decades, rising roughly 50–58% during the month as Middle East hostilities spread. (gcaptain.com)(markets.ft.com) Regulatory and currency strains compounded losses—the Reserve Bank of India directed banks to cap daily net open rupee positions at $100 million (compliance by April 10), and analysts warned the move could force banks to unwind trades and crystallise mark‑to‑market losses amid a rupee slide that breached the mid‑90s per dollar in March. (business-standard.com)(bloomberg.com)
