Stock Market Review: HDFC Bank, HPCL, Vodafone Idea, Bajaj Finance, Voltas, Swiggy Among Top Losers on Indian Markets

Market Report: Indian Stock Market Experiences Worst Intraday Crash in Months

March 19, 2026

The Indian stock market witnessed a sharp decline of over 3% on March 19, with the Nifty 50 losing 775 points to settle at 23,000. The Sensex closed at 74,207, down 3.26% from the previous session. The broader markets mirrored the weak trend, with the Nifty Midcap 100 falling 3.32% and the Nifty Smallcap 100 index declining 3%.

The sharp sell-off was attributed to a combination of factors, including escalating tensions in the Middle East, which led to elevated crude oil and gas prices. The US Federal Reserve's decision to leave its benchmark rate unchanged for the second time also contributed to the decline, as the Fed warned that inflation could remain elevated in 2026 due to the Iran conflict.

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The HDFC Bank stock tanked 5.3% following the resignation of Atanu Chakraborty as part-time Chairman of the bank, dragging the stock to its lowest level since July 2024. The stock-specific pressure was further exacerbated by relentless Foreign Institutional Investor (FII) selling, which pushed the rupee to a fresh all-time low.

Crude-sensitive stocks, including Hindustan Petroleum, Bharat Petroleum Corp., and Indian Oil, led the broad-based sell-off, with losses of up to 7%. Auto and ancillary stocks also witnessed significant selling pressure, with all 15 constituents of the Nifty Auto index falling over 3%.

However, a few stocks managed to buck the trend, including Jaiprakash Power Ventures, which rallied 11.7% to ₹16.8 apiece, and Adani Total Gas, which surged 8% to ₹556.2 apiece. Sugar stocks, such as Triveni Engineering and Balrampur Chini Mills, also closed higher, gaining 2.2% and 2.1%, respectively.

Key Figures:

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• Nifty 50: 23,000
• Sensex: 74,207
• HDFC Bank: -5.3%
• Hindustan Petroleum: -7%
• Jaiprakash Power Ventures: 11.7%
• Adani Total Gas: 8%

Sectoral Performance:

• Nifty Auto: -4%
• Nifty Realty: -3.2%
• Nifty Consumer Durables: -3.1%
• Nifty IT: -3.1%
• Nifty Private Bank: -3.1%

Notable Stocks:

• Hindustan Petroleum: -7%
• Bharat Petroleum Corp.: -3.4%
• Indian Oil: -5.5%
• Ashok Leyland: -5.2%
• Bharat Forge: -5.1%
• Mahindra & Mahindra: -5.1%
• Samvardhana Motherson International: -5.1%