Stock Market Open Report Today, September 1, 2026: Markets Edge Down After Flat Start As Oil, Iran Offset GDP Data

Mumbai, Sept 1: Indian equities opened flat before edging down on Tuesday, as stronger than expected GDP data was offset by a broad risk-off mood across Asian and US markets after Iran and the United States exchanged direct strikes for the first time in a month. The Sensex and Nifty extended Monday’s losses, weighed down by a fresh spike in crude oil prices and hardening bets on a US Federal Reserve rate hike. Renewed hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz have reignited fears of a wider supply disruption at a time when markets were already bracing for tighter global monetary policy. The combination of geopolitical risk and rate uncertainty has left investors cautious at the start of September.

Sentiment took a hit as oil-importing economies like India face the prospect of costlier crude just as global central banks turn more hawkish. Traders said the market’s reaction reflected concern that a prolonged standoff in the Gulf could keep volatility elevated well into the new
week. The Sensex was trading at 76,822.24, down 135.03 points or 0.18%, as of 9:44 am, while the Nifty stood at 24,027.30, down 53.10 points or 0.22%, at 9:45 am. The declines came even as select pockets of the market, including metals and FMCG counters, managed to buck the broader trend and trade higher.

Gainers & Losers 

Among individual stocks, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (ADANIPORTS) led the gainers, rising 3.36% to an LTP of ₹1,646.70 from a previous close of ₹1,593.10. ITC (ITC) climbed 3.09% to ₹263.40 against Monday’s close of ₹255.50, while Bharti Airtel (BHARTIARTL) advanced 2.43% to ₹1,856 from ₹1,811.90. Adani Enterprises (ADANIENT) added 2.23% to trade at ₹2,922.80 versus its previous close of ₹2,859.10, and HCLTech (HCLTECH) rose 1.78% to ₹1,335.50 from ₹1,312.20.  

On the losing side, Max Healthcare (MAXHEALTH) and Shriram Finance (SHRIRAMFIN) were the steepest decliners, both down 3.46%, with Max Healthcare slipping to ₹1,006 from ₹1,042.10 and Shriram Finance falling to ₹1,071.50 from ₹1,109.90. InterGlobe Aviation (INDIGO) dropped 3.13% to ₹5,070 from ₹5,234, Axis Bank (AXISBANK) fell 2.55% to ₹1,266.90 from ₹1,300, and Nestle India (NESTLEIND) declined 2.43% to ₹1,460.20 from ₹1,496.50. 

Broad Markets & Sectoral Indices 

Broader market indices largely mirrored the weakness in the headline gauges, with mid- and small-cap segments underperforming. The Nifty Midcap 50 fell 1.00%, the Nifty Midcap 100 slipped 0.93%, and the Nifty Next 50 declined 0.89%, reflecting broad-based selling pressure beyond just the largest blue-chip names. Sectoral indices painted a more mixed picture, with a handful of pockets holding firm even as the broader tape stayed weak. Nifty Metal gained 0.81%, Nifty FMCG rose 0.70%, and Nifty Media added 0.56%, even as Nifty Realty tumbled 1.70%, Nifty Healthcare fell 1.33%, and Nifty Pharma declined 1.11%, underscoring the divergence between defensive and rate-sensitive sectors on the day. 

Asian Markets on Tuesday Morning 

Asian markets were broadly weaker on Tuesday morning, with Australia’s S&P ASX All Ordinaries down 0.25%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipping 0.07%, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 falling 0.14%, even as Shanghai, Jakarta and Karachi bucked the trend with modest gains. The mixed regional performance reflected investors weighing the fresh Iran-US escalation against pockets of resilience in mainland Chinese and Southeast Asian equities. 

Wall Street 

On Wall Street, all major benchmarks closed lower overnight, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average sliding 0.70% and the S&P 500 shedding 0.33%, while the Nasdaq Composite eased 0.12%. The declines came as rising crude prices and hawkish signals from Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s recent comments on inflation weighed on risk appetite heading into the new trading week. 

Oil Prices 

Oil prices extended their advance on Tuesday, with Brent crude up 0.83% to $91.24 a barrel and WTI crude rising 1.11% to $86.71, as the market continued to price in supply-disruption risk from the Strait of Hormuz. Murban crude jumped 2.82% to $98.45, reflecting outsized concern over Gulf-origin barrels given the region’s proximity to the conflict. The rally in crude has added fresh pressure on oil-importing economies like India, where higher energy costs threaten to widen the import bill and stoke inflationary pressure. 

US-Iran Conflict 

Tensions in the Middle East flared anew after Iran launched missiles at two US air bases in Jordan, retaliating for an American strike on Iranian missile launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump vowed further strikes, warning “we’re going to hit them hard,” even as he ruled out nuclear options and described Iran as a “failed nation” militarily. A senior Iranian source called the exchange a “limited and contained confrontation” but warned Tehran would respond harshly to any further attack. Despite the flare-up, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated that Tehran still favoured a negotiated end to the conflict, telling Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that continuing the war served no one’s interest. 

Indian benchmark indices had ended sharply lower on Monday after the Closing Auction Session, with the Sensex falling 307.24 points, or 0.40%, to 76,957.27, and the Nifty declining 95.25 points, or 0.39%, to 24,080.40. The selloff came as rising crude prices, renewed US-Iran tensions and expectations of a tighter US monetary policy weighed on sentiment, even as private bank stocks offered some support. Monday’s losses set a weak base heading into Tuesday’s session, with the same set of global pressures continuing to dictate the market’s direction. 

Source

• NSE
• BSE
• https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/trump-posts-ai-video-irans-kharg-smithereens-no-evidence-attack-2026-08-31/
• https://www.reuters.com/markets/stocks/asia-pacific/
• https://oilprice.com/oil-price-charts/