Equity benchmark indices BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 declined sharply on Thursday as crude oil prices surged past the $100 per barrel mark again amid stalled US–Iran negotiations.

The downturn was further weighed down by persistent foreign fund outflows and weak cues from broader Asian markets, dampening investor sentiment.

At 10:45 hours, the 30-share benchmark index was trading at 77801.61 down by -714.88 points or by -0.91 % and then NSE Nifty was at 24220 down by -158.1 points or by -0.65 %.

Sensex touched intraday high of 78178.54 and intraday low of 77693.06 The NSE Nifty touched intraday high of 24310.2 and intraday low of 24134.8

The top gainers of the BSE Sensex pack were Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Rs. 1692.00,+1.37%), Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (Rs. 2555.60,+0.71%), Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (Rs. 320.95,+0.38%), Bharti Airtel Ltd. (Rs. 1834.35,+0.25%), Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (Rs. 4032.05,+0.25%), among others.

The top losers of the BSE Sensex pack were Trent Ltd. (Rs. 4313.60,-2.75%), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (Rs. 3064.45,-2.72%), Bajaj Finance Ltd. (Rs. 910.75,-2.57%), Bajaj Finserv Ltd. (Rs. 1794.90,-2.50%), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (Rs. 1428.00,-2.38%), among others.

HCS index was at 44142.8 up by 651.97 points or by 1.5%. Piramal Pharma Ltd. (Rs. 166.60,+8.25%), Fabtech Technologies Ltd. (Rs. 170.05,+8.21%), Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. (Rs. 1299.30,+6.76%), OneSource Specialty Pharma Ltd. (Rs. 1718.00,+6.65%), Marksans Pharma Ltd. (Rs. 190.25,+5.93%),.

Auto index was at 57345.66 down by -1106.35 points or by -1.89%. TVS Motor Company Ltd. (Rs. 3532.50,-3.46%), Ashok Leyland Ltd. (Rs. 173.00,-3.32%), Samvardhana Motherson International Ltd. (Rs. 127.70,-3.00%), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (Rs. 3064.45,-2.72%), Bharat Forge Ltd. (Rs. 1853.00,-2.59%),.

The Market breadth, indicating the overall strength of the market, was weak. On BSE out of total shares traded 4150 , shares advanced were 1715 while 2221 shares declined and 214 were unchanged.