New Delhi, July 17 -- The Indian stock market benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, are likely to open on a cautious note on Friday, tracking weak global cues amid investor concerns over escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and their impact on commodity prices.

Asian markets traded lower in early deals, while Wall Street ended sharply lower overnight, led by a selloff in semiconductor stocks that weighed on broader market sentiment.

On Thursday, Indian equities ended largely flat as persistent concerns over the US-Iran conflict and elevated crude oil prices kept investors on the sidelines. The BSE Sensex edged up 1.44 points to close at 77,186.87, while the Nifty 50 slipped 5.75 points, or 0.02%, to settle at 24,072.75....