Indian equities snapped a five-session losing streak on Monday, with both the Nifty 50 and BSE Sensex climbing roughly 1 percent each. A sudden halt in U.S.-Iran hostilities over the weekend triggered a sharp drop in global crude prices, giving markets a much-needed breather from recent geopolitical anxiety. Main Developments The Nifty 50 rose 0.96% to 23,995.95, while the BSE Sensex added 1.02% to 76,835.78. All 16 major sectors advanced, with the IT index leading at 2.3% after Jefferies upgraded the sector to “neutral” from “underweight” and added Infosys to its model portfolio. Infosys shares gained 3.7%. Small-cap and mid-cap indices also rose 1.3% and 1.1%, respectively. Among individual movers, IDFC First Bank and AU Small Finance Bank jumped 5.1% and 4.8% on robust quarterly results, while SBI Card climbed 4.2% on higher quarterly profit. Food and beverages firm Tata Consumer and state-owned power generator NTPC gained 1.8% and 1%, respectively. Read also: Bank of Baroda Data Leak: Customer Records Exposed on Dark Web Background The prior five sessions had seen the Nifty 50 and Sensex lose 2.3% and 2.7%, respectively, amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. Those fears had pushed Brent crude to elevated levels, raising concerns about India’s import-dependent economy, which is highly sensitive to energy costs. On Sunday, Iran stated it would halt attacks as long as the United States did the same, effectively pausing military strikes. Brent crude subsequently fell 9.3% to $88 a barrel, offering immediate relief to import-heavy sectors such as oil marketing, aviation, paints, and tyres. Why It Matters India imports over 80% of its crude oil, making every dollar move in oil prices a direct shock to inflation, the current account deficit, and the rupee. Rajesh Palviya, head of research at Axis Direct, noted that the sharp drop in crude is “offering a significant tailwind for India through lower inflation expectations, an improved current account outlook and reduced pressure on the rupee, lifting risk appetite.” The rupee hit a two-week high on Monday, aided by lower oil prices and central bank policy measures that have effectively restored foreign investor flows. Oil marketing companies BPCL, HPCL, and Indian Oil rose 1.9%–3.8%, while IndiGo, paint makers Asian Paints and Kansai Nerolac, and tyre makers JK Tyre and CEAT gained between 1.2% and 5.6%. What's Next The sustainability of the rally depends on whether the U.S.-Iran pause holds. Any renewed hostilities could quickly reverse oil’s decline, reigniting inflationary pressure and currency volatility. Investors will also watch for further corporate earnings reports, which have so far provided selective support through strong quarterly results from banks and financial firms.