Mumbai, April 9 -- The key equity benchmarks ended sharply lower on Thursday, snapping a five-day winning streak as investor sentiment weakened amid global uncertainty. The decline was driven by concerns around the US-Iran ceasefire, which weighed on markets worldwide.

Adding to the cautious mood, investors remained on the sidelines ahead of TCS's quarterly earnings, seeking cues for the IT sector. Volatility also rose due to the weekly expiry of Sensex derivatives contracts, further pressuring indices. The Nifty slipped below the 23,800 mark, dragged by losses in banking and financial services stocks.

The S&P BSE Sensex tumbled 931.25 points or 1.20% to 76,631.65. The Nifty 50 index dropped 222.25 points or 0.93% to 23,775.10. In the p...