Stock Market Today, June 25, 2026: Sensex, Nifty Open Higher as Iran War Fades, Oil Slides Towards Pre-War Levels

Mumbai, June 25: Indian benchmark indices opened Thursday on a positive note, with the BSE Sensex rising 400.73 points or 0.52% to 77,391.95 and the NSE Nifty 50 gaining 127.50 points or 0.53% to 24,149.15 as of 9:22 am, as easing geopolitical tensions around the Iran war and a sharp fall in crude oil prices toward pre-war levels encouraged buyers to step in from the opening bell. The session got off to a clean, broad-based start, with India VIX falling 3.38% to 12.93, signalling a meaningful reduction in market fear and supporting risk-on positioning across sectors. 

The catalyst was clear: Brent crude extended its decline toward 3 a barrel on Thursday, driven by the resumption of tanker movement through the Strait of Hormuz following the US-Iran ceasefire accord, and political pressure on the Trump administration was building at home. 

Top Gainers and Losers 

Among Nifty 50 constituents, Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) led the gainers, with its LTP rising to Rs 3,139.10 from a previous close of Rs 3,064.50, a gain of 2.43%, followed by IndiGo (INDIGO) which climbed to Rs 5,325.30 from Rs 5,207.20, up 2.27%, as aviation stocks benefited from falling fuel costs. Shriram Finance (SHRIRAMFIN) advanced to Rs 1,040.60 from Rs 1,019.00, gaining 2.12%, while Tata Motors PV (TMPV) moved to Rs 356.85 from Rs 349.70, up 2.04%, and Maruti Suzuki (MARUTI) added 2.02% to Rs 13,516 from Rs 13,248, rounding out a strong showing for the auto pack.  

On the losing side, Hindalco (HINDALCO) was the steepest decliner, with its LTP slipping to Rs 959.30 from a previous close of Rs 976.60, a fall of 1.77%, as metal stocks faced pressure from weaker global commodity prices. Eternal (ETERNAL) shed 1.25% to Rs 253.15 from Rs 256.35, Infosys (INFY) eased 0.53% to Rs 1,051 from Rs 1,056.60, Power Grid (POWERGRID) fell 0.45% to Rs 289.60 from Rs 290.90, and Titan (TITAN) slipped 0.44% to Rs 4,304.90 from Rs 4,323.80. 

Broader and Sectoral Markets 

In the broader markets, the Nifty Next 50 gained 0.52% to 72,432.20, the Nifty Midcap 100 advanced 0.40% to 62,381.35, and the Nifty Microcap 250 was up 0.47% to 25,231.05, reflecting healthy participation beyond the frontline index. The Nifty Smallcap 50, however, slipped 0.08% to 9,324.60, the Nifty Smallcap 250 edged up a modest 0.13% to 17,807.50, and the Nifty Smallcap 100 was nearly flat, gaining just 0.02% to 18,883.20, suggesting the small-cap space remained cautious relative to the larger-cap recovery. 

On the sectoral front, Nifty Auto was the clear outperformer, surging 1.65% to 26,819.70 as falling oil prices boosted the outlook for passenger and commercial vehicle demand. Nifty Transportation and Logistics rose 1.16% to 24,622.05, benefiting from the same crude tailwind, while Nifty Mobility gained 1.10% to 22,227.95. On the weaker side, Nifty Metal fell 0.79% to 12,518.95 as global commodity prices softened, Nifty Media slipped 0.22% to 1,516.00, and Nifty CPSE declined 0.18% to 6,736.60, with state-owned enterprises facing selling pressure amid energy sector repositioning. 

Middle East Conflict 

The Iran war is increasingly shifting from a battlefield story to a domestic political one in Washington, with the Trump administration asking Congress for 7.6 billion in supplemental war funding even as both Republican and Democratic lawmakers push back on the lack of transparency around the conflict’s objectives and the terms of last week’s framework deal with Tehran. For markets, the more consequential development has been the gradual normalisation of crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz, which is pulling oil prices steadily lower and removing the geopolitical risk premium that has weighed on Indian equities since February. 

Asian Markets 

Asian markets on Thursday morning were mixed, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 surging 3.87% to 71,854.88, its sharpest single-session gain in weeks, as yen weakness and receding Iran risk lifted Tokyo’s export-heavy index. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 1.72% to 23,010.29 and Indonesia’s JSX Composite dropped 3.56% to 5,883.88, with the broader regional picture showing divergence between energy-importing economies benefiting from lower oil and commodity-driven markets facing headwinds. 

US Markets 

Wall Street ended Wednesday on mixed ground, with the Dow Jones rising 182.06 points or 0.35% to 51,848.90 while the S&P 500 slipped 0.10% to 7,358.22 and the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.43% to 25,476.64, as technology stocks remained under pressure even as industrial and financial names found buyers. The split outcome reflected an ongoing rotation away from high-valuation growth stocks and toward more defensive or value-oriented segments, a trend that aligns broadly with the improving macro backdrop for India. 

Oil Prices 

Crude oil prices extended their decline on Thursday, with Brent crude for August delivery falling 0.54% to 3.34 a barrel and WTI easing 0.38% to 0.07 a barrel, as stranded tankers resumed movement through the Strait of Hormuz and supply concerns continued to ease. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Wednesday that flows through the Strait were close to pre-war levels, with at least 20 million barrels having exited in the previous 24 hours, though full normalcy would take a few more weeks as demining continues. The pace of the crude decline has surprised traders, with one analyst noting the market is pricing in a much faster return of Middle Eastern barrels than most had anticipated just a fortnight ago. 

Wednesday Closing: Sensex and Nifty 

Indian benchmark indices staged a sharp recovery on Wednesday, with the Sensex advancing 790.54 points or 1.04% to close at 76,991.22 and the Nifty 50 gaining 197.55 points or 0.83% to settle at 24,021.65, erasing much of Tuesday’s steep selloff as Brent crude sliding below 6 per barrel triggered broad-based bargain hunting. Market breadth was positive, with 2,107 stocks advancing against 1,970 declines on the NSE, with 162 stocks unchanged. Thursday’s positive open builds on that momentum, with the Nifty now firmly above 24,100 and the Sensex pressing toward the 77,400 mark as buyers remain in control. 

Sources

•  nseindia.com
• bseindia.com