Stock Markets Dive as Middle East Conflict, Crude Oil Prices Continue to Dent Sentiment

Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty dropped sharply in early trade on Monday as the Middle East conflict entered its fourth week driving crude oil prices higher. The 30-share BSE Sensex dived 1,555.62 points, or 2%, to 72,977.34 during initial trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty tanked 479.95 points, or 2%, to 22,634.55. From the 30-Sensex firms, Tata Steel, State Bank of India, Bajaj Finance, Bharat Electronics, Titan, and Adani Ports were among the biggest laggards. In Asian markets, South Korea’s benchmark Kospi, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index, Shanghai’s SSE Composite index and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index were trading sharply lower. Kospi…