Share Market Update: Middle East Tension Shakes Markets; Festive ‘cooling off’ for investors after slump

Share Market Update: On the occasion of Holi, the Indian stock market has announced a holiday today, March 3, 2026. Although Holi will be celebrated tomorrow in many parts of the country, banks are closed in Mumbai due to Holi. As a result, no trading or share settlement takes place on BSE and NSE today. The holiday has been a brief respite for investors after heavy losses in the previous trading session.

Yesterday, Monday, March 2, the escalating war between Iran and Israel led to a huge sell-off in the Indian stock market. The Sensex fell by 1,048 points or 1.29 per cent, while the Nifty also fell by 300 points. News of unrest in the Middle East has sparked fears among investors, weakening market sentiment.

Given the war situation, foreign institutional investors have started withdrawing funds from the market to secure their capital. When a conflict breaks out between two countries, it directly affects supply chains, the global economy and markets. This holiday will be good for investors to shake off Monday’s pressure and strategize for the future.

With the threat of war, international crude oil prices rose more than 10% on Monday. Crude oil prices have now crossed $80 per barrel, posing a major challenge to the Indian economy and companies. Rising fuel prices sparked panic in the markets yesterday and investors started selling their stocks in a frenzy.

India imports a large portion of its needs, so rising oil prices raise fears of rising domestic inflation. Share prices fell yesterday on fears of rising corporate spending, sending portfolios into the red. This volatility in crude oil is likely to play an important role in determining the direction of the stock market in the coming weeks.

Today, along with the stock market, the commodity market, MCX is also closed in the morning. However, trading on MCX will resume from 5 pm to 11 pm, giving some traders an opportunity. Apart from March 3, there will also be the holidays of Ram Navami on March 26 and Mahavir Jayanti on March 31.

A total of 16 trading holidays have been fixed for the stock market in 2026, three of which will fall this month. Investors are advised to plan their trading strategies based on global conditions and crude oil movements when markets reopen. This festive holiday is a must for those who were very upset and worried due to yesterday’s big market drop.