Indian stocks fall on higher oil and West Asia tensions; Sensex down 0.57%

The BSE Sensex closed down 443 points, or 0.57%, at 77,708 on Monday, July 20, 2026, while the Nifty 50 slipped 96 points, or 0.39%, to 24,238.

Rising crude oil and West Asia tensions weighed on the market. Brent traded around 88 dollars during the session and the Indian rupee changed hands near 96.45 to the dollar. By sector, the state-run (PSU) bank index rose 2.78% while the private bank index dropped 2.27%.

India is one of the world's largest oil importers and is highly sensitive to energy prices and the Strait of Hormuz route.