Mumbai, April 28 -- The headline equity indices ended with substantial losses on Tuesday, as investor sentiment remained cautious amid fading hopes of a swift resolution to the ongoing US-Iran conflict, which has triggered a surge in oil prices. Market volatility intensified due to the monthly Nifty 50 derivatives expiry. The Nifty 50 settled below the 24,000 mark. PSU banks, private banks, and auto stocks declined, while oil & gas, chemical, and metal stocks advanced.

As per provisional closing data, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex dropped 416.72 points or 0.54% to 76,886.91. The Nifty 50 index fell 97 points or 0.40% to 23,995.70.

In the broader market, the BSE 150 MidCap Index shed 0.04% and the BSE 250 SmallCap Index decline...