Sensex Today Live Updates: Nifty MidCap Down 0.57%, Nifty SmallCap Slips 0.70% on Friday

Indian equity markets continued their downward trajectory on Friday, April 24, 2026, with the Nifty 50 slipping below the 24,000 mark and the Sensex declining by over 700 points amid persistent geopolitical tensions and sector-specific pressures.

As of 10:00 AM IST, the Nifty 50 was trading 0.94 percent lower at 23,946.30, down 226.75 points, while the Sensex fell 1.04 percent to 76,871.32, a loss of 807.97 points, according to live market updates from Business Standard. The decline marked the third consecutive session of losses for both benchmark indices.

By mid-morning, the Nifty had breached the 24,000 level, trading at 23,983.35, down 0.78 percent or 189.70 points, while the Sensex stood at 76,970.68, down 0.89 percent or 693.32 points, as reported by Moneycontrol. Earlier in the session, the Nifty had dipped to 23,992.85, reflecting a 0.75 percent decline, according to ICICI Direct data.

The broader market weakness extended to mid-cap and small-cap segments, with the Nifty MidCap and Nifty SmallCap indices trading 0.57 percent and 0.70 percent lower, respectively, as noted in the initial market update.

Market participants cited ongoing geopolitical anxieties, particularly surrounding developments in West Asia, as a key drag on sentiment. Reports of escalating tensions between the United States and Iran have contributed to risk-off behavior, prompting investors to reduce exposure to equities.

Sectoral performance showed notable declines in technology stocks, with Infosys share price dropping approximately 4 percent during early trading, weighing on the IT-heavy Nifty index. Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) was also in focus ahead of its Q4 results announcement later in the day, though specific figures were not yet available at the time of reporting.

Additional pressure came from crude oil prices, which remained elevated due to supply concerns linked to the Middle East situation, further impacting energy and transportation stocks. The GIFT Nifty, which tracks overseas trading of the Nifty 50, showed a modest decline of 0.14 percent at 24,124.50, indicating cautious sentiment in global markets tied to Indian equities.

Banking and financial stocks also faced selling pressure, with the Nifty Bank index down 1.43 percent at 56,305.00 and the Nifty Financial Services index declining 1.42 percent to 26,247.20, according to ICICI Direct’s live data. The BSE Bankex mirrored this trend, falling 1.46 percent to 63,468.51.

Despite the broad-based decline, some resilience was observed in select sectors. The Nifty IT index, while under pressure from Infosys’ drop, remained a focal point for investors monitoring earnings guidance from major software exporters. Meanwhile, defensive sectors such as FMCG and healthcare showed relatively lesser volatility compared to cyclical and rate-sensitive groups.

Market breadth reflected the bearish sentiment, with approximately 1,018 shares advancing against 2,347 declines and 154 unchanged on the BSE, as per Moneycontrol’s live tracking. This underscored the widespread nature of the selling pressure across market capitalizations and sectors.

Analysts noted that the combination of elevated geopolitical risk, mixed global cues, and domestic earnings uncertainty has led to heightened volatility. With no immediate resolution in sight to the regional tensions and quarterly results season underway, market participants are expected to remain cautious in the near term.