Rs 20 lakh crore gone in hours as Sensex crashes 3,939 points amidst trade war fears

Guwahati, April 7: Investors saw massive losses on Monday morning as global trade war fears sparked a sharp selloff across markets. The BSE Sensex plunged 3,939.68 points—or 5.22%—to 71,425.01 in early trade, marking one of its steepest intraday falls in recent months.

This sharp drop wiped out over ₹20.16 lakh crore in market value, bringing the total market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies down to ₹383.18 lakh crore from ₹403.34 lakh crore.

All 30 Sensex stocks were in the red, with heavyweights such as Tata Steel and Tata Motors crashing more than 10% each. Broader indices also saw heavy losses: the BSE smallcap index dropped 6.62%, and the midcap index fell 5.01%. Metal stocks led the sectoral slump, falling nearly 8%.

The selloff was part of a global market rout. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped over 11%, Japan’s Nikkei fell 7%, and markets in Shanghai and Seoul also plunged. US indices had closed sharply lower on Friday, with the S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Dow falling around 6% each.

Global oil prices slid as well, with Brent crude dropping 2.76% to $63.77 per barrel, amid concerns over demand and rising trade tensions.

Earlier on Sunday, commenting on the ongoing volatility, NSE CEO Ashish Kumar Chauhan said the recent US tariffs had created a climate of uncertainty, but he remained optimistic about India's relative strength.

“There is confusion in global markets due to the reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US. However, India is doing much better than other countries. A clearer picture should emerge in the next one or two weeks once negotiations play out,” Chauhan said.

Markets had already shown signs of nervousness last week, with the Sensex and Nifty falling over 2.5% amid weak global cues and fresh trade war concerns. Monday’s dramatic plunge has only intensified investor anxieties.

With inputs from Agencies