The Indian stock market opened sharply lower on March 4, 2026, amid heightened global uncertainties from escalating tensions in the Middle East (including US-Israel-Iran developments), rising crude oil prices, and negative cues from Asian markets. The benchmark Nifty 50 is trading at 24,392.10, down 473.60 points or 1.90%, while the BSE Sensex stands at 78,758.87, shedding 1,479.98 points or 1.84%. Broader indices like Bank Nifty (down 2.17% to 58,541.95) and Midcap Nifty (down 2.46% to 12,963.55) are also under pressure, reflecting widespread selling in financials and midcaps.
Despite the overall bearish sentiment, selective buying in heavyweight stocks has provided some cushion and sparked a partial recovery from session lows. Bharti Airtel has emerged as a standout performer, recovering sharply from its intraday low and contributing positively to the Nifty’s efforts to limit losses.
Bharti Airtel Shares Recover 3% From Day’s Low
Shares of Bharti Airtel witnessed a sharp intraday recovery after slipping to ₹1,815.30 earlier in the session. The stock rebounded strongly to touch an intraday high of ₹1,882.40, marking a recovery of nearly 3% from the day’s low.
Despite the rebound, the stock remained slightly positive, trading 0.40% higher during the session. Bharti Airtel opened at ₹1,861.10 compared with the previous close of ₹1,873.20. The telecom major recorded trading volume of 87,00,363 shares.
Over the longer term, the stock has traded between a 52-week low of ₹1,568.00 and a 52-week high of ₹2,174.50, reflecting strong volatility in the telecom sector.
Reliance Industries Recovers From Intraday Lows
Shares of Reliance Industries also showed recovery from the day’s lows even though the stock continued to trade in the red.
Reliance Industries declined 1.46% during the session. The stock touched an intraday low of ₹1,307.00 before recovering to hit a high of ₹1,341.50. It opened at ₹1,330.00 compared with its previous close of ₹1,358.00.
Trading activity remained strong with 1,37,83,423 shares changing hands. The stock has moved within a 52-week range of ₹1,114.85 to ₹1,611.80.