Sensex Jumps 500 Points on Iran-US Conflict Hopes

Indian equity benchmarks closed Friday's session sharply higher, with the Sensex gaining 500 points and the Nifty settling above 24,350, capping a weekly advance of more than 2% for both indices. The rally erases a portion of losses sustained during a March selloff that had pressured domestic equities. Market capitalization of BSE-listed companies expanded by over Rs 53 lakh crore across the week, a sign of broad-based buying rather than narrow sector rotation. The primary catalyst cited is growing optimism that the Iran-US conflict could reach a resolution sooner than previously expected, reducing geopolitical risk premiums that had weighed on emerging market sentiment. Easing geopolitical tension typically compresses crude oil risk pricing, which carries direct implications for India given its import dependence on oil. Traders will now watch whether diplomatic signals between Tehran and Washington solidify or stall, and whether foreign institutional flows into Indian equities sustain the momentum built this week.