Mumbai, Sept. 11 -- The key equity indices ended lower on Friday after a gap-down opening, as escalating tensions in the Middle East and a sharp rise in crude oil prices weighed on investor sentiment. The sell-off eased from the day's lows, but the Nifty remained below the 23,400 level, dragged by weakness in metal and auto shares. Brent crude surged amid concerns over supply disruptions, while the US 10-year Treasury yield moved close to 5%, adding to pressure on risk assets.

Concerns over persistent inflation also intensified after US producer prices rose 5.4% year-on-year in August. The data, along with a decline in weekly jobless claims, strengthened expectations of tighter Federal Reserve policy, with markets pricing in a roughly 70...