New Delhi, Aug. 7 -- The Indian stock market benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, are likely to open lower on Friday, 7 August, as rising Brent crude oil prices and escalating tensions in the Middle East dampen investor sentiment. Brent crude climbed more than 1% to $83.45 a barrel, fuelling concerns over energy supplies, inflation, and their potential impact on global markets.

The Gift Nifty also signalled a weak start, trading at around 24,651.5, a discount of 88 points to the previous close of the Nifty futures.

In the previous session, domestic equity benchmarks ended on a positive note. The BSE Sensex advanced 373.76 points, or 0.48%, to close at 78,954.76, while the Nifty 50 gained 11.35 points, or 0.05%, to settle at 24,636, e...