New Delhi, July 20 -- Indian benchmark indices opened lower on Monday, 20 July, as weakness in HDFC Bank offset gains in select heavyweight stocks, while rising crude oil prices amid escalating tensions in the Middle East kept investors on edge.

The BSE Sensex declined 0.72% to 77,587.23, while the Nifty 50 slipped 0.60% to 24,185.80 in early trade.

HDFC Bank dropped nearly 5% after reporting its June-quarter results, as investors reacted to a sharper-than-expected sequential decline in net interest margins despite a 5% year-on-year increase in quarterly profit.

The weakness in the country's largest private lender overshadowed gains in Reliance Industries and ICICI Bank, both of which advanced around 1% after announcing their quarterly...