Monday's Session: Indian equity benchmarks extended losses for the fifth consecutive session, as the Sensex slipped 281.09 points to settle at 77,728.16, while the Nifty 50 fell 78.35 points to 24,287.65 [citation:1][citation:2]. The Nifty touched an intraday low of 24,226.95 before recovering slightly in the final hour [citation:8].

🔵 Key Drivers: Elevated crude oil prices (Brent ~$88.72) and lingering geopolitical uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz kept investors cautious [citation:6][citation:12]. IT stocks led the decline, while metal and realty sectors provided some support [citation:2][citation:9].

✅ Market Performance: Broader market breadth was weak; Hindalco (+2.18%), Axis Bank, and Tata Steel were top gainers, while Infosys (-2.83%), Sun Pharma, and HCL Technologies dragged [citation:8][citation:9].

The Nifty Bank index ended flat at 57,497.80, up just 0.01%, as banking stocks saw mixed moves [citation:9]. IT and Pharma sectors weighed on the indices, while Metal and Realty outperformed [citation:2][citation:7].

📊 Outlook: India VIX rose 2.56% to 11.60, reflecting some caution, but remains below recent highs. Geopolitical triggers remain the key risk [citation:10].

The Indian rupee depreciated 17 paise to close at 95.59 against the US dollar on Monday, as the RBI shortened the FCNR (B) swap window deadline, triggering caution [citation:5]. The rupee opened at 95.48 and touched a low of 95.59 during the session, with elevated crude prices limiting support [citation:11].