Indian shares inch higher to close at 8-month high as crude oil drops

Indian equity benchmarks ended Monday at their strongest closing levels in more than eight months, with the Nifty 50 up 0.23% to 25,044.65 and the Sensex gaining 0.13% to 81,106.65. Business Recorder reported that both indices last closed this high on February 27, 2026. Brent futures slipped 1% to around $97 a barrel as comments from US President Donald Trump eased concerns about further attacks on Iran.

The gains followed a 10.5% advance across seven sessions through Friday, supported by overseas investor purchases and lower oil prices. Foreign investors have bought more than $4.1 billion of Indian shares in November so far, the largest monthly total since September 2024. Thirteen of 16 major sectors rose on Monday, while technology shares fell 1.2% and financials gained 0.8%; Indian markets will be shut Tuesday for Diwali and resume trading Wednesday.