Stock Market Open, June 18, 2026: Sensex Slips 50 points, Nifty Flat at Open as Iran Ceasefire, US Fed Hawkishness Offset Each Other

Mumbai, June 18: Indian equity benchmarks opened on a mixed note on Thursday, with the Sensex slipping marginally and the Nifty 50 holding near the flatline, as investors weighed the US-Iran ceasefire agreement against a hawkish tilt from the US Federal Reserve.  

The BSE Sensex was at 77,106.10, down 49.52 points or 0.06%, and the Nifty 50 was at 24,086.10, up a marginal 0.40 points, at 9:31 am. 

Gainers & Losers 

Among Nifty 50 gainers, MAXHEALTH (NSE: MAXHEALTH) led, up 1.46% to Rs 1,041.1 from Rs 1,026.15. HDFCLIFE (NSE: HDFCLIFE) gained 1.31% to Rs 589.45 from Rs 581.8, SBILIFE (NSE: SBILIFE) rose 1.24% to Rs 1,815.8 from Rs 1,793.6, TRENT (NSE: TRENT) added 1.13% to Rs 3,137.9 from Rs 3,102.8, and BEL (NSE: BEL) climbed 1.05% to Rs 424.25 from Rs 419.85.  

Among losers, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (NSE: TMPV) fell the most, down 8.1% to Rs 361.7 from Rs 393.6. CIPLA (NSE: CIPLA) dropped 1.67% to Rs 1,350.2 from Rs 1,373.2, BAJAJFINSV (NSE: BAJAJFINSV) lost 1.25% to Rs 1,765 from Rs 1,787.3, ONGC (NSE: ONGC) slipped 1.11% to Rs 245.45 from Rs 248.2, and AXISBANK (NSE: AXISBANK) declined 1.01% to Rs 1,351.9 from Rs 1,365.7. 

Broad Markets & Sectoral Indices 

Among broad market indices, the Nifty Smallcap 250 led, up 0.48% to 17,579.25, followed by the Nifty Smallcap 50, up 0.43% to 9,221.30, and the Nifty Smallcap 100, up 0.38% to 18,693.10. The Nifty 50, Nifty 100 and Nifty 200 trailed with gains of 0.03%, 0.07% and 0.09%.  

Among sectoral indices, Nifty Metal gained the most, up 0.67% to 13,099.20, followed by Nifty Chemicals, up 0.66% to 29,834.95, and Nifty Midsmall Healthcare, up 0.48% to 47,794.60. Nifty IT was the worst performer, down 1.68% to 28,326.65, followed by Nifty Midsmall IT & Telecom, down 0.61%, and Nifty Media, down 0.14%. 

Iran War 

The US and Iran have signed an interim 14-point agreement to end their war, with both presidents digitally signing a memorandum that extends an existing ceasefire by 60 days and reopens the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic. US President Donald Trump, however, warned that Washington could resume strikes if Tehran fails to honour the terms, even as Iranian officials hailed the deal as a major win. The conflict, which has killed thousands since February, weighed heavily on global energy markets and investor sentiment. 

Asian markets were mixed on Thursday morning, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 up 1.62% while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 1.45%. US markets closed lower Wednesday after the Fed left rates unchanged but signalled a hawkish outlook, with the S&P 500 down 1.21% and the Nasdaq Composite falling 1.34%. 

Oil Prices 

Oil prices fell in early trading on Thursday after the US-Iran agreement raised expectations of a faster return of Iranian crude to global markets, with Brent crude futures down 1.12% at $78.66 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate slipped 1.28% to $75.81 a barrel, reversing Wednesday’s gains made after Trump’s threat to resume strikes had briefly lifted prices. Analysts said the sell-off reflected markets pricing in a faster-than-expected normalisation of supply through the Strait of Hormuz. 

Indian Markets on Wednesday Closing 

Indian markets had ended Wednesday lower, with the Nifty 50 closing at 24,085.70 amid cautious global cues ahead of the Fed’s decision. The Sensex too settled lower, weighed down by profit-taking in IT and select banking stocks. Overnight Wall Street weakness further dented sentiment, setting a tepid tone for Thursday’s opening trade. 

Sources

• nseindia
• bseindia.com