21 May,2026 05:59 PM IST | Mumbai | Tarun Verma
Indian markets witness volatile session on Thursday as Sensex dips. (Representational image)
The equity markets on Thursday witnessed a highly volatile trading session. Indian benchmark indices have been recovering from steep intraday losses over the last few days, but are eventually ending slightly lower amid geopolitical concerns.
As per Bajaj Broking Research, markets witnessed volatile trade and profit booking at higher levels. Although crude oil prices cooled off and the Indian Rupee recovered after touching record low levels, selling pressure continued to weigh on the indices through the session. At close, the Sensex declined 135.03 points, or 0.18 per cent, to settle at 75,183.36, while the Nifty slipped 4.30 points, or 0.02 per cent, to close at 23,654.70.
Sectoral performance remained mixed during the session. Buying interest was witnessed in Nifty Realty, Consumer Durables, and Healthcare stocks, whereas selling pressure was visible in Nifty IT, FMCG, and Media counters. Broader markets continued to outperform the benchmark indices. The Nifty Small Cap 100 index advanced 0.63 per cent, reflecting stock-specific buying interest, while the Nifty Midcap 100 index remained largely flat and ended marginally lower by 0.04 per cent.
Nifty IT declined 0.56 per cent, Nifty Media fell 0.35 per cent, and the Nifty Private Bank index slipped 0.15 per cent.
While the Indian market turned out to be volatile, Asian markets showed mixed trends on Thursday. Japan's Nikkei 225 index surged 3.14 per cent to close at 61,744, while Taiwan's weighted index gained more than 3 per cent to settle at 41,368. South Korea's KOSPI index rallied around 8 per cent to close at 7,815.
Siddhartha Khemka, Head of Research and Wealth Management at Motilal Oswal Financial Services, expressing his views on the Indian stock market on Thursday, said, "Indian equities are likely to remain range-bound in the near term as concerns around inflationary pressures, sustained FII outflows and tightening global financial conditions are expected to keep markets volatile, while investors remain watchful of policy measures by the RBI to stabilise the currency."
Highlighting the impacts of PM Modi's recently concluded Europe visit on the Indian stock market, Khemka said, "PM Modi concluded his diplomatic tour covering the UAE, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy, with discussions focused on accelerating the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, strengthening energy corridors, expanding defence and technology manufacturing, and deepening strategic partnerships with key European economies."
Gold prices were steady in early morning trade after swings witnessed in yesterday's session, as markets continued to price in hopes of a potential peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran.
Manav Modi, commodities analyst at Motilal Oswal Financial Services, highlighted, "Sentiment improved after President Trump said the conflict with Iran was in its 'final stages', while also indicating that negotiations were progressing positively. However, President Trump warned that failure to reach a deal could still trigger fresh U.S. military action, limiting broader risk appetite. The Strait of Hormuz remained largely shut, keeping oil prices elevated despite a correction earlier this week and maintaining concerns over supply disruptions and energy-driven inflation."
