Sensex, Nifty Fall in Early Trade as Crude, FII Selling Weigh

August 14, 2026

New Delhi: Domestic equity benchmarks traded lower in early trade on Friday as elevated crude prices and continued foreign investor selling weighed on market sentiment.

The Sensex hit an intraday low of 77,747, down 332 points, or 0.42 per cent, in morning trade. The Nifty was down 84.39 points, or 0.34 per cent, at 24,311.45.

Metal, IT and Auto Stocks Under Pressure

Sectorally, the Nifty Metal index was the biggest laggard, declining more than 1 per cent. It was followed by the Nifty MidSmall IT & Telecom, Nifty Auto, Nifty IT and Nifty Cement indices.

Meanwhile, Nifty Consumer Durables was among the few gainers, rising 0.29 per cent.

Market experts said the near-term trend is likely to remain range-bound, with the Nifty consolidating between 23,800 and 24,400 in the absence of a strong trigger for a breakout.

“Range-bound nature of the market is likely to continue in the near-term. Nifty has been consolidating between 23,800 and 24,400 without any triggers for a breakout above the upper band or a breakdown below the lower band,” an expert said.

The expert added that select private-sector banks could offer value-buying opportunities for long-term investors.

FII Selling Continues, DIIs Provide Support

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) remained net sellers on Thursday, offloading equities worth Rs 510 crore. In contrast, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) continued to provide strong support, purchasing shares worth Rs 4,353 crore.

According to analysts, foreign portfolio investor selling had tapered recently, with overseas investors also turning buyers in recent sessions. However, a clear trend in FII activity is yet to emerge.

Market activity continued to remain concentrated in the mid- and small-cap segments, with experts expecting the trend to persist.

Crude Prices Remain a Key Factor

Crude oil prices remained an important factor for Indian equities. Brent crude, which had surged above $91 a barrel, later cooled to below $87, providing some relief to domestic markets.

Brent crude was trading flat at $87.08 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was up 0.16 per cent at $81.38.