Sensex, Nifty tumble over 1% on geopolitical worries

Stock market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty tanked over 1% on Tuesday (January 20, 2026) due to heavy selling pressure in market heavyweights Reliance, Bajaj Finance and M&M amid escalating geopolitical tensions.

Besides, ongoing weakness in the rupee and persistent foreign fund outflows dented investors’ sentiment.

Extending its previous day’s decline, the 30-share BSE Sensex tumbled 1,065.71 points, or 1.28%, to settle at 82,180.47. During the day, it dropped 1,235.6 points, or 1.48%, to 82,010.58.

The 50-share NSE Nifty tanked 353 points, or 1.38%, to end at 25,232.50.

From the 30-Sensex firms, Eternal declined by 4.0%, followed by Bajaj Finance (3.88%), Sun Pharma, InterGlobe Aviation, Trent, Asian Paints, Mahindra & Mahindra and Bajaj Finserv.

HDFC Bank emerged as the only gainer from the pack.

Foreign institutional investors offloaded equities worth ₹3,262.82 crore on Monday (January 19, 2026), while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) remained buyers as they bought stocks worth ₹4,234.30 crore, according to exchange data.

In Asian markets, South Korea’s Kospi index, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index, Shanghai’s SSE Composite index and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index settled lower.

Markets in Europe were trading over 1% lower. U.S. markets were closed on Monday (January 19, 2026) for a holiday.

“The aggressive and often unpredictable use of tariffs by the U.S. administration as a foreign policy tool is creating widespread unease among global market participants, triggering sharp volatility across financial markets. This has weighed heavily on risk assets while pushing safe-haven gold and silver prices higher.

“Fresh threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to impose additional tariffs on European nations opposing the U.S. move to take control of Greenland have triggered another bout of global equity selling, with Indian markets also witnessing broad-based pressure,” R. Ponmudi, CEO of Enrich Money, an online trading and wealth tech firm, said.

The Indian equity market ended today’s session on a decisively negative note, reflecting a combination of weak global cues, cautious investor positioning, and subdued risk appetite, he added.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, went up by 0.09% to $63.91 per barrel.

On Monday (January 19, 2026), the Sensex declined 324.17 points or 0.39% to settle at 83,246.18. The Nifty dropped 108.85 points or 0.42% to 25,585.50.