The rupee declined 6 paise to 96.31 against the U.S. dollar in early trade on Thursday (July 16, 2026) amid volatility in global crude oil prices and a stronger greenback with the West Asia crisis showing no signs of abating.

FII outflows continued to weigh on the local unit while a positive start to the day at the domestic equity markets provided support, according to forex traders.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 96.28 against the greenback before slipping further to 96.31 from its previous close.

The local unit had on Wednesday extended its slide for the third straight day and settled 9 paise lower at 96.25 against the U.S. dollar.

The United States intensified its strikes targeting Iran early on Thursday, hitting targets further north as American forces also fired into a ship it accused of trying to break its naval blockade on the Islamic Republic. Iran retaliated with missile and drone fire targeting Bahrain and Kuwait before dawn.

Days of back-and-forth strikes by the U.S. and Iran across West Asia – and renewed threats to the Strait of Hormuz – have shredded the interim deal to end the Iran war and could tip the region back into all-out war. Jordan’s military said in the morning that it shot down eight missiles launched by Iran targeting the kingdom.

“The rupee opened at 96.28 despite the dollar index depreciating while Brent oil prices are nearer to $85 per barrel, indicating inherent dollar demand that the currency pair is showing,” Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director, Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP, said.

The dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading marginally up by 0.01% at 100.49.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, remained volatile and at the time of filing this report was trading 0.31% down at $84.69 per barrel in futures trade.

On the domestic equity market front, Sensex climbed 185.77 points to 77,400.40 in early trade while the Nifty was up 42.15 points to 24,132.60.

Foreign Institutional Investors on Wednesday offloaded equities worth ₹735.83 crore in the domestic equity market, according to exchange data.

Stock market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended 1% higher on Friday (July 10, 2026), taking their winning run to the second day, helped by a rally in heavyweights Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank.

Easing crude oil prices and buying in IT stocks after TCS reported an increase in its June-quarter net profit and guided towards an improvement in demand returning in the ongoing quarter also propelled the rally in the domestic market.

The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 827.57 points, or 1.08%, to settle at 77,569.39. During the day, it soared 900.41 points, or 1.17%, to 77,642.23.

The 50-share NSE Nifty surged 244.10 points, or 1.02%, to end at 24,206.90.

From the Sensex pack, Reliance Industries, Tech Mahindra, Bharat Electronics, Axis Bank, Tata Steel and Infosys were among the major winners.

TCS ended 1% higher after the country’s largest IT services company on Thursday (July 9, 2026) reported a 4.61% increase in its June-quarter net profit to ₹13,349 crore, and guided towards an improvement in demand impacted by the West Asia crisis, returning in the ongoing quarter.

The laggards from the Blue-Chip pack were Eternal, Bharti Airtel, Sun Pharma and Trent.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, dipped 0.30% to $76.07 per barrel.

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

Markets in Europe were trading on a mixed note.

U.S. markets ended higher on Thursday (July 9, 2026).

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth ₹532.86 crore on Thursday (July 9, 2026), according to exchange data.

On Thursday (July 9, 2026), the Sensex climbed 238.22 points, or 0.31%, to settle at 76,741.82. The Nifty went up by 80.75 points, or 0.34%, to end at 23,962.80.

Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded in early trade on Thursday (July 9, 2026) after a sharp fall in the previous session amid foreign fund inflows and buying in blue-chip stocks.

The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 495.86 points to 76,998.54 in early trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty went up by 148.70 points to 24,025.

From the Sensex pack, Eternal, Sun Pharma, Bharti Airtel, Titan, ICICI Bank, Asian Paints, Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank were among the major winners.

Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, HCL Tech and Tech Mahindra were among the laggards.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth ₹1,962.80 crore on Wednesday (July 8, 2026), according to exchange data.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, quoted 1.04% higher at $78.83 per barrel.

On Wednesday (July 8, 2026), the Sensex tanked 1,677.12 points, or 2.15%, to settle at 76,503.60. On similar lines, the Nifty tumbled 516.65 points, or 2.12%, to end at 23,882.05.

Geopolitics has again played spoilsport with the Indian market, which has been slowly strengthening, V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited, said.

“There are market indications that things may not deteriorate as feared. First, Brent at $80 is not a problem. It won’t create a BoP (Balance of Payments) crisis. The crisis will re-emerge only if the tensions lead to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz again, and consequently, crude spiking above $100. The present futures do not reflect such a pessimistic scenario,” he added.

In Asian markets, South Korea’s Kospi and Japan’s Nikkei 225 index rebounded and were trading in the green, while Shanghai’s SSE Composite index and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index quoted lower.

U.S. markets ended mostly lower on Wednesday (July 8, 2026).

Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty declined on Tuesday (June 30, 2026) due to selling in IT, oil & gas and select banking shares amid uncertainty over the next round of U.S.-Iran negotiations in Doha.

The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 249.70 points, or 0.33%, to settle at 76,478.67, paring its opening gains. During the day, it fell by 398.98 points, or 0.51%, to a low of 76,329.39.

The 50-share NSE Nifty dropped 80.50 points, or 0.34%, to end at 23,865.75.

The delayed onset and sluggish progress of the southwest monsoon, fresh foreign fund outflows and decline in blue-chip IT stocks weighed on market sentiment, analysts said.

Among Sensex shares, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, HCL Tech, Tech Mahindra, ITC and Hindustan Unilever were the major laggards.

Maruti, Titan, Bajaj Finance and Eternal were among the gainers.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth ₹1,350.10 crore on Monday, according to exchange data.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose by 0.23% to $73.32 per barrel.

“The domestic market remained in a consolidation phase, trading within a narrow range and exhibiting a mixed trend. Although geopolitical concerns have eased, the fragile nature of the U.S.–Iran peace deal continues to weigh on sentiment, preventing any meaningful directional move,” Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said.

Sectoral performance was mixed but tilted to the downside, with IT emerging as the primary drag, he said.

“On the domestic front, the current monsoon trend – pointing to the worst deficit in a decade – raises concerns about agricultural output and allied sectors, further impacting sentiment amid expectations of weak Q1FY27 earnings,” Mr. Nair added.

Broader markets also advanced as the BSE SmallCap Select index went up by 0.59% MidCap Select index rose by 0.46%.

Sectorally, BSE Focused IT tanked 2.62%, followed by IT (2.48%), PSU Bank (0.68%), Bankex (0.25%), Top 10 Banks (0.23%), Metal (0.18%), Utilities (0.12%) and Private Banks index (0.12%).

Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded in early trade on Friday (June 12, 2026) and were trading sharply higher, following a rally in global markets and a drop in crude oil prices after U.S. President Donald Trump declared that his country had ended the war with Iran.

Also read: West Asia war updates on June 12, 2026

The 30-share Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Sensex jumped 921.30 points to 74,753.85 during initial deals. The 50-share National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) Nifty surged 254.20 points to 23,417.25.

U.S. President Donald Trump said that a deal to end the war with Iran is nearly complete and is expected to be signed over the weekend in Europe, as he called off military strikes on the gulf nation hours after threatening to take control of its oil industry.

Mr. Trump, speaking to reporters at the Oval office on Thursday (June 11, 2026) afternoon, said Vice President JD Vance is expected to attend the signing ceremony, which could take place in Europe as soon as this weekend.

Later, addressing a tele-rally in favour of Georgia Lt. Governor Burt Jones, who is running for the post of Governor, Mr. Trump declared that the U.S. has ended the war with Iran.

“I don’t know if you heard, but we ended the war with Iran today (Thursday), and they have agreed never to have a nuclear weapon, something that we insisted on. That was the whole purpose,” Mr. Trump said.

From the 30-Sensex firms, InterGlobe Aviation, Larsen & Toubro, Bajaj Finance, Eternal, Trent and HDFC Bank were among the biggest winners. Tech Mahindra was the only laggard from the pack. Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, dropped 1.62% to $88.92 per barrel.

In Asian markets, South Korea’s Kospi jumped over 8%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 index climbed more than 3%. Shanghai’s Stock Exchange (SSE) Composite index and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index were also quoting higher. U.S. markets ended significantly higher on Thursday (June 11, 2026).

“The biggest overnight trigger came from the United States, where markets rebounded strongly after President Donald Trump signalled a diplomatic breakthrough with Iran and called off planned military strikes. The development significantly reduced geopolitical risk premiums that had been weighing on global equities and energy markets over the past week,” Hariprasad K., Research Analyst and Founder, Livelong Wealth, said.

Asian markets have responded aggressively to the shift in sentiment, he said. “For India, the most significant macro development is the sharp decline in crude oil prices. Brent crude has corrected nearly 4%, easing concerns around imported inflation, the current account deficit, and rupee stability,” Mr. Hariprasad added.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth ₹1,987.09 crore on Thursday (June 11, 2026), according to exchange data. In the previous session, the 30-share BSE Sensex declined 150.63 points, or 0.20%, to settle at 73,832.55. The Nifty edged lower by 53.35 points, or 0.23%, to end at 23,161.60.

The rupee fell 17 paise to 95.43 against U.S. dollar in early trade on Tuesday (May 26, 2026), as month-end dollar demand and elevated crude oil prices weighed on investor sentiments.

Forex traders said the broader pressure on the rupee is likely to continue as long as geopolitical tensions remain elevated. Moreover, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) measures and liquidity support may help provide temporary relief and contain volatility in the near term, they said.

Why is the Indian Rupee falling?

At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 95.43 against the U.S. dollar, down 17 paise from its previous close.

On Monday (May 25, 2026), the rupee gained 34 paise to close at 95.26 against the U.S. dollar with the RBI selling dollars and keeping the rupee well bid at all upper levels.

Meanwhile, Brent oil prices rose after they touched $93 per barrel with reports of fresh attacks against Iran offsetting hopes of a deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday (May 25, 2026) said negotiations with Iran to end the war were progressing “nicely”, but officials pointed out that a final decision may take some time due to the complex communication networks Tehran deploys to consult with its supreme leader.

“With RBI on the prowl the speculative pressure against the rupee has come down significantly and a better risk appetite in equities has kept rupee firmer against the dollar,” said Anil Kumar Bhansali head of treasury and executive director, Finrex Treasury Advisors Limited Liability Partnership (LLP).

Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading at 99.04, down 0.19%.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading up 1.84% $97.91 per barrel in futures trade.

Brent oil moved up after a fall on Monday (May 25, 2026) after reports that U.S. had carried fresh attacks against Iran offsetting hopes of a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“Reports on Monday [May 25, 2026] evening indicated that U.S. had launched fresh strikes against missile launch sites and mine laying boats taking oil a bit higher despite talks being held with Iranian authorities. This could complicate the ongoing peace negotiations,” Mr. Bhansali said.

On the domestic equity market front, Sensex declined 264.82 points to 76,224.14 in opening trade, while the Nifty dipped 27.6 points to 24,004.10.

Foreign institutional investors turned net buyers and purchased equities worth ₹821.75 crore on Monday (May 25, 2026), according to exchange data.

Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty surged in early trade on Monday (May 25, 2026) supported by a sharp correction in crude oil prices and a rally in global markets amid improving sentiment surrounding the U.S.-Iran negotiations.

The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 908.98 points to 76,317.85 in early trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty surged 262.65 points to 23,977.70.

Also Read | Petrol, diesel prices hiked for fourth time in ten days; latest by about ₹2.8 per litre

From the 30-Sensex firms, Mahindra & Mahindra, HDFC Bank, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, Larsen & Toubro, and InterGlobe Aviation were among the biggest winners.

Tata Consultancy Services and Sun Pharma were the laggards.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, tanked 5.58% to trade at $97.76 per barrel.

“We are starting the week on a positive note. Crude has dipped $5 to below $100 on expectations that U.S. and Iran are close to a deal. The market will wait and watch for clarity and certainty since many similar expectations have been belied since the start of the war. If this expected deal holds and crude drifts down, that can turn out to be turning point for the market,” V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Ltd, said.

In Asian markets, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index and Shanghai’s SSE Composite index were trading higher. Markets were closed in South Korea and Hong Kong due to holidays.

U.S. markets ended in positive territory on Friday.

Crude oil prices have corrected sharply, marking a significant pullback from recent highs above the USD 100-105 zone, Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, an online trading and wealth-tech firm, said.

“The decline in oil prices is being viewed as a meaningful positive for India’s macroeconomic outlook, as softer energy prices help ease concerns around inflation, import costs and corporate profitability,” he added.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth ₹4,440.47 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.

On Friday, the Sensex climbed 231.99 points, or 0.31%, to settle at 75,415.35. The Nifty edged higher by 64.60 points, or 0.27%, to end at 23,719.30.

Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty buckled under selling pressure for the fifth straight session on Friday (January 9, 2026), falling nearly 1%, as investors turned cautious due to growing concerns over potential U.S. tariff hikes amid lingering geopolitical worries.

The relentless foreign capital flight from Indian markets also affected the market sentiment, traders said.

After a brief rebound in early trade, the 30-share BSE Sensex failed to carry forward the momentum and tumbled 604.72 points, or 0.72%, to sink below the 84,000-level and settle at 83,576.24. During the day, it dropped 778.68 points, or 0.92%, to 83,402.28.

The 50-share NSE Nifty dropped 193.55 points or 0.75% to 25,683.30.

From the 30-Sensex firms, NTPC, ICICI Bank, Adani Ports, Bharti Airtel, Sun Pharma and Bajaj Finance were among the biggest laggards.

However, Asian Paints, HCL Tech, Bharat Electronics and Reliance Industries were among the gainers.

On Thursday, the Sensex fell 780.18 points or 0.92% to settle at 84,180.96. The Nifty tumbled 263.90 points or 1.01% to 25,876.85.

Foreign institutional investors offloaded equities worth ₹3,367.12 crore on Thursday, and Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) bought stocks worth ₹3,701.17 crore, according to exchange data.

“Domestic risk-off sentiment has intensified amid uncertainty surrounding U.S.-India tariff negotiations and escalating geopolitical tensions,” Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said.

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 ended higher.

Markets in Europe were trading in positive territory. U.S. markets ended on a mixed note on Thursday.

“Indian equity markets remained under sustained pressure throughout the week, weighed down by elevated global trade uncertainty following renewed tariff-related remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump,” Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, an online trading and wealth tech firm, said.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose 0.18% to $62.10 per barrel.

Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended higher on Monday (October 20, 2025), taking their winning run to the fourth day in a row, driven by buying in blue-chip Reliance Industries and sustained foreign fund inflows.

A sharp rally in global markets also added to the markets’ optimism.

The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 411.18 points or 0.49% to settle at 84,363.37. During the day, it zoomed 704.37 points or 0.83% to 84,656.56.

The 50-share NSE Nifty surged 133.30 points or 0.52% to 25,843.15.

From the Sensex firms, Reliance Industries climbed 3.52% after the firm on Friday reported a 9.6% year-on-year rise in net profit for the September quarter, driven by strong performance in its consumer-facing retail and telecom businesses and a recovery in its core oil-to-chemicals segment.

Bajaj Finserv, Axis Bank, State Bank of India, Tata Consultancy Services, Titan and Bharti Airtel were also among the gainers.

However, ICICI Bank, Mahindra &Mahindra, Eternal, Adani Ports and Power Grid were among the laggards.

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

Markets in Europe were trading in the green.

U.S. markets ended in positive territory on Friday.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth ₹308.98 crore on Friday, according to exchange data. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) also bought stocks worth ₹1,526.61 crore on the same day.

“The Indian market extended its upward march on Monday, carrying forward the festive rally ahead of the Diwali Muhurat trading session. The Nifty-50 climbed, driven by strong buying in index heavyweights such as Reliance Industries,” Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, an online trading and wealth tech firm, said.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude dipped 0.29% to $61.11 a barrel.

On Friday, the Sensex jumped 484.53 points or 0.58% settle at 83,952.19. The Nifty climbed 124.55 points or 0.49% to 25,709.85.

Last week, the BSE benchmark jumped 1,451.37 points or 1.75%, and the Nifty surged 424.5 points or 1.67%.

Stock exchanges BSE and NSE will conduct a special Muhurat trading session on Tuesday.

The symbolic trading session will be held between 1:45 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. The market will remain closed for regular trading on Tuesday, but a special trading window will be open for one hour.