Mumbai (National Times): Indian stock markets witnessed a massive rout on Monday morning, echoing a sharp global selloff. Triggered by escalating trade tensions and sweeping tariff announcements from the United States, both benchmark indices – Nifty 50 and BSE Sensex – opened with steep losses, each plunging around 5% at the opening bell.
The Nifty 50 opened at 21,758.40, dropping 1,146.05 points or 5%, marking one of its steepest single-day opening declines since the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, the BSE Sensex slumped by 3,984.80 points, or 5.29%, to open at 71,379.80.
Global Panic Hits Indian Markets
This crash follows a widespread selloff across global markets in the wake of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive trade policies. Trump’s administration has announced sweeping reciprocal tariffs — the highest seen in over a century — impacting trade partners across the globe.
Banking and markets expert Ajay Bagga, speaking to ANI, warned that India’s markets are suffering more due to global interconnectedness than domestic factors.
“India will face the heat, not due to domestic reasons, but as an interlinked chain in the global portfolio flows,” he said. “A fiscal, monetary and reform package is needed to shield the economy from what is increasingly looking like a global economic winter.”
Bagga also pointed to the staggering $5.4 trillion two-day loss in U.S. equity markets that has rattled investor sentiment worldwide. Asian markets followed suit, with Taiwan witnessing a 20% drop, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng falling 10%, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 slumping 5.79%. South Korea’s KOSPI fell 4.14%, while China’s Shanghai Composite shed 6.5%. Even Australia’s ASX 200 wasn’t spared, declining 3.82%, showing the global nature of the crisis.
Analysts Call for Urgent Policy Measures
Market experts stressed the urgent need for policy action by the Indian government to reassure investors and provide stability.
Sunil Gurjar, a SEBI-registered research analyst and founder of Alphamojo Financial Services, highlighted that the Nifty 50’s sharp drop indicates a strong bearish trend.
“A big red candle shows sellers are dominating. One support level is already broken, and the index is heading towards the next. If this breaks too, we may see further downside in the near term,” Gurjar warned.
Oil Prices Drop, US Futures in the Red
Adding to the market woes, Brent crude oil fell to a 52-week low, trading at $63.97 per barrel. Meanwhile, Dow Jones futures were down by 2.22%, indicating a likely negative open for U.S. markets as well.
While global markets reel from Trump’s tariff shockwave, Indian investors are hoping for swift policy measures at home. As fear grips trading floors, all eyes now turn to the government and central bank for a possible stabilizing response.
