Markets dip amid geopolitical tensions, crude surge
Indian equity benchmarks concluded Friday's session in the red. Sensex dropped 573 points to 81,118, and Nifty closed at 24,718, down 0.68%. This downturn was driven by escalating Israel-Iran tensions and over 7% surge in Brent crude, creating headwinds for oil-reliant sectors. Conversely, defence stocks such as BEL and HAL gained, reflecting investor focus on stability amid global uncertainty.