Sensex slumps nearly 500 points amid escalating tensions in Middle East

Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled nearly 1 per cent on Monday as investors offloaded finance, utility and energy stocks amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and surging crude oil prices overseas.

Investors stayed on the sidelines and refrained from taking big risks amid huge uncertainty due to the Israel-Hamas conflict, analysts said.

The 30-share BSE Sensex fell 483.24 points or 0.73 per cent to settle at 65,512.39. The Nifty declined 141.15 points or 0.72 per cent to end at 19,512.35.

Only three Sensex stocks traded in the green, while the Nifty-50 saw its 43 stocks closing in the red.