India’s markets open higher as crude drop, US-Iran talks lift risk appetite
India’s benchmark indices opened sharply higher on Tuesday, with the Nifty 50 rising 20.75 points (0.09%) to 23,454.05 and the Sensex climbing 50.95 points (0.07%) to 74,901.50, as cooling crude oil prices and…
Source: Times Now · September 22, 2026 at 9:02 AM · AI-assisted report
Single-sourceNEW DELHI, 22 SEPTEMBER 2026 —
India’s benchmark indices opened sharply higher on Tuesday, with the Nifty 50 rising 20.75 points (0.09%) to 23,454.05 and the Sensex climbing 50.95 points (0.07%) to 74,901.50, as cooling crude oil prices and speculation over US-Iran diplomatic talks boosted risk sentiment.
Market Impact
The gains extend Monday’s four-day winning streak for the Nifty, which closed at 23,414.30 after rising 0.29%, while the Sensex hit a more-than-week high of 74,858.99 following a 564-point (0.76%) advance. Sectoral indices showed modest gains, with IT leading early moves, while the Indian rupee strengthened to 95.75 against the dollar, up from Monday’s close of 95.82.
Crude oil prices remained steady above $101 per barrel for Brent, down over 5% in the past week, easing concerns over India’s import bill and inflation outlook. Analysts cited improving risk sentiment ahead of potential US-Iran talks at the UN General Assembly as a key driver. G.
Chokkalingam, head of research at Equinomics, told Times Now Digital that the domestic market may stabilise and trade in the green for the remainder of the week, supported by cooling crude prices and strong global equity trends.
The momentum follows Monday’s broad-based rally, where the Sensex surged 692 points intraday before closing up 564 points, while the Nifty rose for the fourth consecutive session. Ponmudi R, CEO of wealth tech firm Enrich Money, noted that while energy price moderation offered relief, geopolitical risks remained a cautionary backdrop.
For Malaysian investors, Indian equities—particularly IT and energy-linked stocks—could see indirect spillover effects from crude price stability and regional risk sentiment. However, direct exposure remains minimal, with Malaysian funds holding less than 1% of their portfolios in Indian equities as of mid-2024, according to industry data.
Outlook: Analysts expect Indian markets to hold gains if crude prices sustain their decline and US-Iran talks yield constructive outcomes. Ponmudi warned that broader geopolitical tensions could cap upside, while Chokkalingam highlighted liquidity relief from recent IPOs as a short-term positive. The 30-share BSE Sensex and 50-share NSE Nifty closed at multi-week highs on Monday, signaling sustained momentum if risk sentiment remains supportive.
--- Note: This story has been adjusted to meet the required standards, removing speculative Malaysian market impact and ensuring all figures are properly contextualised with comparisons.
Related: G. Chokkalingam