Markets at close: Indian equity benchmarks closed Monday’s volatile trade on a higher note. The Nifty 50 surged 257 points or 1.11% to close at 23,408, while the BSE Sensex jumped 939 points or 1.26% to settle at 75,503.

However, the Nifty Midcap 100 closed the session 146 points or 0.27% at 54,615.

Markets at 2:40PM: In afternoon trade, the markets saw a sharp rebound, with the Sensex surging 1200 points (1.49%) to 75,600, while the Nifty up 300 points (1.4%) to 23,416.35.

In the intraday trading session today, UltraTech Cement rose 4.5%, Eternal gained 3%, Mahindra & Mahindra was up 3%, Bajaj Finance increased 2.95%, and HDFC Bank climbed 2.93%.

Markets at 10:30AM: After opening in the green and moving slightly higher in early trade, the markets slipped into the red. At 10:30 am, the Sensex was down 333.59 points, or 0.45%, at 74,230.33, while the Nifty declined 84.90 points, or 0.37%, to 23,066.20.

Markets at 9:45AM: The Indian stock market traded higher in early deals, with benchmark indices moving up in the opening session. The Sensex gained 396.19 points, or 0.53%, to trade at 74,960.11, while the Nifty rose 122.45 points, or 0.53%, to 23,273.55 during early trading hours.

Markets at open: The Indian stock market opened on a positive note, with benchmark indices trading in the green. The Sensex rose 145.41 points, or 0.20%, to 74,709.33, while the Nifty gained 81.70 points, or 0.35%, to trade at 23,232.80 in early trade.

“With the uncertainty surrounding the war continuing, markets are in unchartered territory. The sustained heavy selling by FIIs and the weakness in rupee are contributing to the market weakness. In the near-term FIIs are likely to continue selling in the market, particularly when there is a mild rally in the market. This will add to the weakness in the market, even in fundamentally sound sectors and stocks,” said Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments.

“How the high crude prices impact India’s GDP growth and corporate earnings, going forward, will depend on the duration of the war. There are times when doing nothing is a good strategy. This appears to be the case now. However, investors with risk appetite can certainly nibble at high quality stocks across sectors, now available at fair valuations. In the broader market there are growth stocks available at attractive valuations. Even in the weak market environment, pharmaceuticals and telecom stocks are exhibiting resilience,” he added.

Markets at pre-open: What could shape the Indian stock market’s direction today, March 16? Investors are likely to keep a close watch on global developments. This especially includes the ongoing tension in West Asia and movements in crude oil prices.

Amid this ongoing conflict, several factors have been creating uncertainty in global markets. Any fresh updates could influence investor sentiment. Traders will also track global cues, currency movement and commodity prices.

Early trends indicate that the Indian stock market may open on a green note, as GIFT Nifty was trading near 23,350, up about 147 points or 0.63%, indicating a possible positive start for benchmark indices.

Previous session: Markets end sharply lower

Indian benchmark indices ended the previous session with steep losses.

The Sensex dropped 1,471 points, or 1.93%, to close at 74,563.92 in the last trading session (March 13). Meanwhile, the Nifty fell 488 points, or 2.06%, ending the session at 23,151.10

Key global and domestic cues affecting markets on March 16, 2026

Asian markets

Asia-Pacific markets opened on a mixed note today. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.12% and the Topix slipped 0.11%, while South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.95% and the Kosdaq traded flat. Meanwhile, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.31% in early trade.

West Asia conflict in focus

The conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran has intensified in recent weeks. This ongoing conflict has turned into one of the most serious geopolitical situations in the Middle East in years.

The crisis which began on February 28 after coordinated airstrikes by US and Israeli forces inside Iran, has led to a sharp escalation and triggered a wider regional confrontation.

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Iran, in response, has carried out several missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli-linked assets and shipping routes near the Strait of Hormuz. With the region playing a crucial role in energy supply, investors are closely watching the developments as any further escalation could influence crude oil prices and broader market sentiment.

US Federal Reserve meeting in focus

The US Federal Reserve will start its two-day policy meeting on March 17, with the decision expected on March 18. The central bank’s key policy rate currently stands in the 3.5%-3.75% range, and the outcome will be closely watched by global markets.

US Markets

Wall Street ended lower on Friday, March 13, as major US indices closed the session in the red. The S&P 500 slipped 0.61% to finish at 6,632.19. The Nasdaq Composite declined 0.93% to close at 22,105.36, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 119.38 points, or 0.26%, settling at 46,558.47.

US dollar

The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the dollar’s value against a basket of six foreign currencies has been on a higher trajectory, and gaining ground in recent weeks. The Dollar Index is now trading around the 100 mark. This is the highest level since April 2025. In the last 5 days the dollar Index is up 1.5%

Crude Oil

Oil prices stayed near the $100 mark as tension between the US. and Iran continued to rise. In early trade, US crude was steady around $98.7 per barrel, while Brent crude, the global benchmark, moved slightly higher to about $103.7 per barrel.

FII, DII data

Foreign investors intensified selling in the Indian market on March 13, 2026, dumping equities worth Rs 10,716 crore, the biggest outflow since October 28, 2025, according to provisional exchange data. Meanwhile, domestic institutional investors stepped in as buyers, purchasing shares worth Rs 9,977 crore.

Gold rate today

In the international market, gold was trading at $5,028 per ounce.

Gold prices in India remain in sharp focus. On the MCX, April 2, 2026, gold futures were trading at Rs 1,58,400 per 10 grams in the latest update.

Top sectors in last trading session

In the last trading session, the Tea and Coffee segment managed to stay in positive territory with a 1.35% gain, while FMCG stocks saw a marginal dip of 0.06%. The Personal Care segment also edged lower, recording a 0.31% decline during the session.

Best and worst performing business group in last trading session

In the last trading session, among the gainers, the Manipal Group led with a 4.19% rise, followed by the Muthoot Group, which advanced 2.67%, while the Arvind Mafatlal Group also moved higher with a 2.08% gain. On the other hand, several groups ended in the red, with the Vedanta Group declining 4.79%, the L&T Group falling 5.52%, the Kalyani Group slipping 5.56%, and the Jindal O P Group dropping 5.97% during the session.