October 20, 2026 01:19 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Four killed in fresh Manipur violence as protesters take bodies to Chief Minister’s residence | Tiger Shroff firing: Three accused arrested on train in Rajasthan, suspected Bishnoi gang link emerges | 'Internet access a fundamental right for children': SC rejects age-based 'blanket' ban | 'We will fight our own government': RG Kar victim's father threatens fresh protest after Sandip Ghosh gets bail | RG Kar shocker: Sandip Ghosh gets bail as only 7 of 147 witnesses examined, junior doctor blasts CBI | Trump waives Russia-related sanctions | 'How dare Elon Musk?' Owaisi defends Modi after billionaire's 'real boss' jibe at Ambani | 'B****y S***': IAS officer's abuse of female colleague during virtual J&K meeting sparks row | Aamir Khan’s nephew Imran Khan asked to leave India by Oct 28 after joining anti-CEC protest | ‘Their crime? Demanding justice’: Rahul Gandhi slams 4 AM detention of Ankita Bhandari’s parents
Stock Market
Representational Photo: ChatGPT

Market crash! Sensex nosedives 1,000 points, Nifty below 23,400 as oil spikes

| @indiablooms | May 18, 2026, at 11:06 am

Mumbai/IBNS: The Indian stock market on Monday witnessed a massive selloff with the BSE Sensex plunging over 1,000 points while the NSE Nifty 50 slipped below the 23,400 mark during the opening hour, media reports said.

Though the Sensex later recovered marginally, it was still trading sharply lower by 800-900 points in morning trade.

Nifty continued to hover around the 23,400 range as investor sentiment remained severely impacted by surging crude oil prices and escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia.

Crude Oil Prices Spike

Global crude oil prices crossed the $110-per-barrel mark amid the continuing Iran war and fears over potential disruption in Middle East oil supplies.

Market experts believe investors are particularly worried about any prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most crucial oil transit routes.

Foreign Investors Continue Pulling Out

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have remained cautious amid the global uncertainty.

More than Rs. 27,000 crore has reportedly been withdrawn from Indian equities so far this month as overseas investors continue shifting funds away from emerging markets.

Why Markets Are Under Pressure

The ongoing Iran conflict has increased volatility across global stock markets by triggering:

  • oil price uncertainty
  • inflation fears
  • geopolitical risks
  • concerns over slower global economic growth.

For India, rising crude prices remain a major concern as the country imports a significant portion of its oil requirements.

Sectors Under Pressure

Sectors heavily dependent on crude oil and transportation costs witnessed strong selling pressure, including:

  • aviation
  • paints
  • FMCG
  • tyres
  • logistics stocks

Meanwhile, investors are increasingly moving towards safer assets amid fears of further escalation in the Middle East conflict.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.