The benchmark indices, Nifty50 and the Sensex, opened lower, tracking cautious global cues as steady crude oil prices and conflicting statements and actions from the US and Iran regarding a potential peace deal weighed on investor sentiment.

At 9:40 hours, the 30-share benchmark index was trading at 78671.28 down by -283.48 points or by -0.36 % and then NSE Nifty was at 24601.6 down by -34.4 points or by -0.14 %.

Sensex touched intraday high of 78757.4 and intraday low of 78451.99 The NSE Nifty touched intraday high of 24620 and intraday low of 24529.2

The top gainers of the BSE Sensex pack were Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (Rs. 2437.50,+2.85%), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (Rs. 1677.90,+2.62%), HCL Technologies Ltd. (Rs. 1365.05,+1.79%), Infosys Ltd. (Rs. 1179.30,+1.21%), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (Rs. 3445.90,+0.90%), among others.

The top losers of the BSE Sensex pack were Bajaj Finance Ltd. (Rs. 1098.00,-4.51%), Bajaj Finserv Ltd. (Rs. 2020.50,-3.29%), Trent Ltd. (Rs. 3024.00,-2.77%), ICICI Bank Ltd. (Rs. 1453.05,-1.62%), Eternal Ltd. (Rs. 314.40,-0.82%), among others.

IT index was at 30433.25 up by 476.96 points or by 1.59%. Mastek Ltd. (Rs. 1876.90,+3.12%), Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (Rs. 2437.50,+2.85%), Newgen Software Technologies Ltd. (Rs. 557.65,+2.84%), LTM Ltd. (Rs. 4655.00,+2.68%), Silver Touch Technologies Ltd. (Rs. 198.55,+2.66%),.

Bankex index was at 65552.61 down by -340.55 points or by -0.52%. ICICI Bank Ltd. (Rs. 1453.05,-1.62%), Au Small Finance Bank Ltd. (Rs. 1084.00,-0.88%), Union Bank of India (Rs. 180.70,-0.66%), Axis Bank Ltd. (Rs. 1246.45,-0.52%), Bank of Baroda (Rs. 248.80,-0.48%),.

The Market breadth, indicating the overall strength of the market, was weak. On BSE out of total shares traded 3543 , shares advanced were 1791 while 1558 shares declined and 194 were unchanged.