Why is the stock market crashing today? 4 factors behind the sharp fall in the Nifty and Sensex indices

The Indian benchmark indices opened on a lower note on Thursday, as the market was weighed down by a spike in bond yields, elevated crude oil prices and a sell-off in banking and insurance stocks.

As of 12:59 pm, BSE Sensex hit a low of 73,947.70, down by 880.55 points or 1.17 per cent from the previous close of 74,828.25 during intraday trading. Nifty 50 shares also tumbled to an intraday low of 23,190.30, falling 256 points or 1.09 per cent from the previous close of 23,446.80 points.

Except for a few IT and Pharma stocks, most other sectors, especially banking and financial services stocks, were dragging today.

“The sharp spike in Brent crude above $102 and the US 10-year bond yield rising to 5.11% will weigh on the market today. So long as these two global headwinds remain, the prospects of a smart recovery in the market appear remote,” said Dr V K Vijayakumar, chief investment strategist, Geojit Investments.

Why did the market weigh down today?

1. Global bond yields spike: The US 10-year yield hit a near two-decade high of 5.11 per cent. On the other hand, Japanese government bond yields hit a 30-year high of 3.06 per cent. Bond yields climb when bond prices fall. This signals that investors are selling off bonds as they fear inflation, leading to a rise in the reward percentage. Higher yields diminish the appeal of riskier assets like the emerging Indian market equities.
2. Fed hike: The US just hiked its Fed rate by 25 bps in September. The Federal Reserve Governor Michael Barr said on Wednesday that further hikes would be necessary to bring down the inflation, making risk-free assets more appealing.
3. Elevated oil prices: Iran’s president told the UN General Assembly that Tehran does not intend to back down from US pressure. Although oil prices eased marginally today, the president’s remarks increased fears of a Brent Crude price hike. Oil prices remain elevated, holding above $102 per barrel.
4. Banking and Financial stocks drag: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India proposed a new set of rules placing a strict cap on commissions, causing a sharp drop in banking and financial stocks, which have the highest weightage in Nifty 50. HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Bajaj Finance, Axis Bank and Bajaj FinServ were among the top losers in the Nifty 50 pack.