Market Wrap, 22 July 2026: Sensex And Nifty End In Red

Benchmark indices, the Sensex and the Nifty 50, ended Wednesday’s trading session on a weak note as continued tensions between the US and Iran impacted investors’ sentiments. Upon close, the:

• Nifty 50 stood at 23,996.25, down 0.79%

• Sensex stood at 76,755.05, down 0.92%

Broader markets also closed in the red. The Nifty Midcap 100 index closed 1.09% lower. Also, the Nifty Smallcap 100 index ended 1.54% lower. Sectorally, the Nifty Auto and Nifty FMCG finished on a strong note. However, Nifty Realty, Nifty PSU Bank and Nifty Pharma registered a decline (see table).

Nifty 50 Gainers And Losers

The following stocks were the top gainers and losers in the Nifty 50 index today:

Factors Contributing To Market Decline

The following factors led to a market decline today:

• The proposal of US President Donald Trump to levy a phased tariff regime on imported generic medicines dragged down pharma stocks, which in turn dragged down benchmarks.

• Elevated oil prices, whereby the Brent crude futures and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures traded above $90 and $85 per barrel in early trade.

• Weakness in the rupee against the dollar in early trade.

Crude Oil Rates Today

Crude oil prices continued to remain at higher levels amid US and Iran tensions. At 15:40, Brent oil futures for September 2026 stood at $94.82 per barrel. During the same time, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures for September 2026 stood at $88.01 per barrel.

Other Important Headlines

Here are the other major headlines of the day:

• Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) pumped nearly $3 billion into stocks over the month through 15 July. This came after they pulled out approximately $20 billion in FY26.

• India's gems and jewellery exports staged a sharp recovery in June. They rose 26.5% year-on-year to $2.21 billion, helped by lower international gold prices.

Gold And Silver Rates Today

Gold and silver rates traded higher on the Multi-Commodity Exchange (MCX). At 15:41, gold August futures on the MCX stood at ₹1,44,585 per 10 grams, up 1.19%. September silver futures during the same time stood at ₹2,25,187 per kg, up 0.63%.

Much of the market will be shaped by how the conflict between the US and Iran shapes up in the coming days. Experts feel the markets are likely to remain on edge until peace in West Asia is restored.

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