Stock Market Update 23 April 2026: Sensex Falls Over 600 Pts; Nifty Below 24,200

Amid uncertain global markets and no clear verdict on the Middle East war, most Indian stock market indices traded lower after market opening on Thursday, 23 April 2026.

At around 9:18 AM, the Sensex was down by around 640 points (0.8%) to trade at 77,870.51. The Nifty 50 was also down by 180 points (0.73%) to trade at 24,192.20.

Notably, indices are under pressure after the ceasefire deadline between the US and Iran has expired. There is no clarity on how the situation may unfold. While crude oil prices are witnessing fresh spikes, the rupee continues to tumble.

How Other Indices Are Performing?

Not just the Sensex and Nifty, but most other indices were trading in the red during early trade on Thursday.

At around 9:22 AM, Bank Nifty was down by around 0.82% to trade at 56,666.90. The Fin Nifty was also down by around 0.91% to trade at 26,380.25.

Most sectoral indices were also trading in the red, with Nifty Auto falling as much as 1.10%. The only index in the green was Nifty Pharma, up by 0.62%.

Top Gainers And Losers

Approximately 1,193 shares opened in the green on Thursday, whereas 1,095 shares opened in the red. Around 162 shares were unchanged.

The top gainers on Nifty were Dr Reddys Labs, ONGC, Cipla, Bharat Electronics, and Jio Financial Services. The top losers were Interglobe Aviation, Ultratech Cement, SBI Life Insurance, Asian Paints, and Mahindra & Mahindra.

Developments Shaping The Market

• US-Iran Conflict: The ongoing conflict between the US and Iran in the Middle East continues to impact the global markets. There is no clarity on how the situation may unfold as the ceasefire deadline came to an end on Wednesday.

• Weak Global Markets: Most global markets reacted cautiously to the ongoing geopolitical tensions. As of 9:23 AM, Gift Nifty was down by 125 points to trade at 24,183.50. Dow futures were trading lower by 0.71%. Japan’s NIKKEI was down by 1.17%.

• Rupee Declines: The Indian National Rupee (INR) continued to slump. It opened lower by 0.2% at 94.0050 per US dollar on Thursday. The decline in the value of the rupee impacts export businesses significantly.

• Crude Oil Rises: There’s no respite for businesses as crude oil prices continue to rise. On Thursday morning, Brent crude futures hovered around $100 per barrel.

Also Read - Stocks to Watch On 23 April 2026

Investor Takeaway

The ongoing geopolitical developments have led to significant market volatility, which could continue for the time being. Investors must learn to deal with this and trade accordingly. Analysing a company’s fundamentals before investing is paramount.

Sources:

The Economic Times

Moneycontrol