New Delhi, July 13 -- Indian benchmark indices opened lower on Monday, 13 July, as escalating tensions in the Middle East dampened investor sentiment. Concerns intensified after Iran claimed to have closed the Strait of Hormuz following a fresh exchange of missile and drone attacks with the United States, sending crude oil prices sharply higher.

At around 9:15 IST, the Nifty 50 declined 0.69% to 24,039.40, while the BSE Sensex fell 0.78% to 76,963.35.

The weakness was broad-based, with all 16 sectoral indices trading in negative territory. The broader market also came under pressure, as both the Nifty Midcap and Nifty Smallcap indices slipped around 0.6% each.

Investor sentiment remained cautious after US and Iranian forces exchanged f...