Indian equity benchmarks succumbed to heightened selling pressure on Thursday, dragging the BSE Sensex below the key 77,000 mark. The broader NSE Nifty 50 finished the volatile session near 24,091 as traders navigated monthly contracts expiry amid lingering geopolitical tensions.

Despite supportive undertones from cooling crude oil prices, steady foreign institutional inflows, and resilient corporate earnings, risk-averse sentiment prevailed across major sectors.

Analysts suggest domestic equities may witness continued near-term turbulence as global macroeconomic developments dictate directional cues.