The Indian equity benchmarks opened on a weak note and extended losses through the session on Friday, with heavy selling in IT stocks pulling the markets sharply lower.

The BSE Sensex tumbled nearly 800 points to trade around 76,600 levels. The NSE Nifty slipped below the key 24,000 psychological mark and was seen hovering near 23,950. 

IT shares bore the maximum brunt. Infosys crashed up to 8 per cent, while TCS, Tech Mahindra, and HCL Technologies fell between 5-6 per cent. The Nifty IT index plunged over 5 per cent, becoming the worst performing sectoral index of the day.

According to preliminary information, the sell-off in domestic IT counters followed weak global cues after Accenture’s disappointing outlook weighed on investor sentiment towards the sector. 

Sectoral performance remained mixed. While Nifty Chemicals, Healthcare, Pharma, and Media managed to stay in positive territory or limit losses, most other indices traded in the red.

Oil prices traded flat on Friday with Brent crude continuing to hover below the $80 per barrel mark. The global benchmark has fallen nearly 38 per cent from its Iran war highs of $126 per barrel, offering some comfort on the inflation front for India.

Asian markets showed a mixed trend in early trade. The KOSPI and Nikkei closed in the green, while the Hang Seng slipped into negative territory.

Wall Street, meanwhile, ended on a firm note on Thursday. The Dow Jones, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 all posted gains, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq rising nearly 2 per cent.

Back home, the rupee showed resilience. The local currency rose 20 paise to 94.20 against the US dollar on Friday. Currency traders noted that the rupee has gained nearly 3 per cent in the last one month, supported by easing oil prices and steady foreign inflows in recent weeks.

The sharp reversal on Friday comes after a decent session on Thursday. On June 18, the Sensex closed at 77,410, up 254 points, while the Nifty settled at 24,168, gaining 82 points.

Market participants are closely watching global cues and upcoming corporate earnings. Further details on the extent of the sell-off and any institutional flows are awaited. The investigation into broader market volatility, if any, remains ongoing as traders assess the sustainability of the recent rally.

The correction in IT majors highlights the sector’s sensitivity to global tech spending trends. With several Indian IT firms heavily dependent on US and European clients, any slowdown in discretionary spending or guidance cuts abroad tends to reflect quickly on Dalal Street. 

At the same time, lower crude prices could support other segments like auto, consumer goods, and banks by keeping input costs in check. Whether this provides enough counterweight to the IT drag will decide the market’s near-term direction.

As of now, sentiment remains cautious with traders preferring to stay light ahead of the weekend.