FX.co ★ Sensex Edges Lower to Start the Week

India’s BSE Sensex slipped around 0.3% to 74,492 on Monday, snapping a two-session winning streak as investors digested quarterly results from major lenders and grappled with the impact of higher crude oil prices on sentiment.

Banking stocks remained in the spotlight after earnings from leading private-sector banks. HDFC Bank dropped roughly 2.2%, even after reporting a 4.7% year-on-year rise in second-quarter profit, underscoring persistent investor scrutiny of banks’ earnings quality and sector outlook.

At the same time, elevated crude prices continued to pressure Indian equities. The economy remains sensitive to higher energy costs, which can stoke inflation, widen the import bill, and erode corporate margins.

Among notable laggards were ICICI Bank (-0.5%), Axis Bank (-3.9%), Infosys (-1.2%), and Tech Mahindra (-0.3%). In contrast, TCS (+1.0%), Reliance Industries (+1.3%), and State Bank of India (+1.7%) advanced.