With two hours left in today’s session, Nifty 50 is trading below 24,150 and Sensex has slipped over 300 points as a Houthi naval blockade threat on Saudi Arabia rattles global oil markets. Here’s your 2 PM markets update for 21 July 2026.
📈 Afternoon Session: Market Snapshot
As of 1:00 PM IST, the Nifty 50 was down 97 points (-0.40%) at 24,142, while the Sensex had fallen 326 points (-0.42%) to 77,382.48. Both indices opened only marginally lower but losses deepened through the morning after Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis announced a fresh naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, reigniting fears over global energy supply disruptions and Red Sea shipping. Sentiment stayed cautious through the afternoon as the broader Middle East conflict overshadowed domestic cues. Nifty Cement was the standout sector, up around 1%, while Nifty IT and Nifty Auto underperformed. Shriram Finance led the gainers, up 2.82% to ₹1,064.60, while HDFC Bank (-1.52% to ₹765.75), Infosys, and Max Healthcare Institute were among the top laggards. On the institutional front, FIIs extended their selling streak to a fifth straight session, offloading equities worth ₹1,121.04 crore, while DIIs continued their buying spree for a ninth consecutive session, picking up ₹1,312.03 crore worth of shares — a cushion that’s helping limit the downside.
₿ Crypto at 2 PM — Live Prices
Bitcoin is holding firm at $65,267.73 (approximately ₹62.9 lakh), up 0.99% over the last 24 hours, with trading volume of $30.3 billion and a market cap of $1.3 trillion. Ethereum is changing hands around $1,903.14 (roughly ₹1.83 lakh), having swung between $1,844.86 and $1,913.32 in the past day. The broader crypto market added 1.7% to reach a total capitalization of $2.31 trillion on $68.99 billion in trading volume, even as the Fear & Greed Index continues to flash “Extreme Fear.” Among the day’s talking points: the GWEI token is unlocking 13.6% of supply (worth about $8.19 million), and PUMP surged more than 23% after a prominent crypto commentator disclosed a fresh purchase.
💰 Live Rates — 2 PM IST
| Asset | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Nifty 50 | 24,142 | -0.40% |
| Sensex | 77,382.48 | -0.42% |
| Bitcoin (BTC) | ₹62.9L / $65,267.73 | +0.99% (24h) |
| Ethereum (ETH) | ₹1.83L / $1,903.14 | Range: $1,844.86–$1,913.32 |
| Gold (10g, MCX futures) | ₹1,42,314 | +0.65% |
| Silver (1kg, MCX futures) | ₹2,20,999 | +1.19% |
| USD/INR | ₹96.41 | ~flat |
| Crude Oil (Brent) | $87.72 | -0.44% |
📰 Top 5 Financial News Stories of the Day
- Houthi naval blockade threat rattles oil and equity markets — Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels announced a naval blockade targeting Saudi Arabia, opening a fresh front in regional tensions. The news pushed crude prices higher and dragged Indian benchmark indices lower through the session, as investors weighed the risk of a broader energy-supply disruption.
- FIIs sell for a fifth straight session, DIIs keep buying — Foreign institutional investors sold ₹1,121.04 crore worth of Indian equities, extending a five-session selling streak, while domestic institutions bought ₹1,312.03 crore, marking nine consecutive days of net buying. The DII support has so far helped cushion the market against sharper FII-led declines.
- June-quarter earnings season in full swing — Bajaj Auto, Bandhan Bank, JSW Infra, M&M Finance, Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC, Adani Energy, and Adani Total Gas are among the companies reporting Q1 FY27 results today, giving investors fresh data points on demand trends, margins, and management commentary heading into the second half of the year.
- Stocks in the spotlight: SBI Funds, Paytm, IndiGo, Ather Energy — SBI Funds, Paytm, IndiGo, Ather Energy, Sobha, Emcure, and Canara HSBC Life featured among the most-discussed stocks in today’s session, with company-specific developments driving elevated trading volumes and volatility in individual counters.
- Gold and silver extend gains as safe-haven demand builds — Both bullion metals climbed further today, with MCX gold futures up 0.65% and silver futures up 1.19%, as escalating geopolitical risk in the Middle East pushed investors toward traditional safe-haven assets alongside the broader equity market weakness.
🌐 Global Markets & Tomorrow’s Outlook
Global cues remain mixed as markets continue to digest the Houthi blockade threat and its potential impact on Red Sea shipping and crude flows. Crude oil has been highly volatile in recent sessions as traders reassess the odds of escalation versus de-escalation in the wider Middle East conflict, including disruption risk around the Strait of Hormuz. With the rupee holding steady near ₹96.4 against the dollar and DIIs continuing to absorb FII selling, Indian markets look set for another cautious, headline-driven session tomorrow. Investors should watch for further developments on the blockade situation, incoming Q1 earnings, and any fresh moves in crude prices overnight.
Data sourced from live market feeds. Last updated: 2:00 PM IST, 21 July 2026. This is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.
Related posts:
