FX.co ★ Sensex Opens Lower as Oil Jumps

India’s BSE Sensex slipped about 0.4%, or 281 points, to 77,450 on Tuesday, extending its recent losing streak as investors reacted to escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Market sentiment deteriorated after the expiry of the US–Iran ceasefire without a new agreement, pushing Brent crude above $91 per barrel and heightening concerns about inflation and rising import costs for India, one of the world’s largest crude oil importers.

On the stock front, Colgate-Palmolive India fell around 3% after brokerages flagged potential margin pressure despite the company’s growth-focused strategy. In contrast, Indo-MIM surged 10% on the back of strong quarterly results, while Highway Infrastructure gained 4% after securing a government highway contract.

Key laggards included BSE Ltd. (-2.4%), Cupid Limited (-1.7%), Billionbrains Garage Ventures (-2.7%), Bharti Airtel (-1.6%), and One 97 Communications (-1.4%).