New Delhi, March 19 -- Dalal Street investors witnessed one of the worst intraday crashes in the Indian stock market during Thursday's session, March 19, as key indices bled heavily, falling over 3% amid a broad-based sell-off across sectors, wiping out Rs.13 lakh crore of investor wealth.

The markets started with a sharp gap-down, as tensions in the Middle East further escalated, keeping crude oil and gas prices elevated. Meanwhile, the US Federal Reserve, which left its benchmark rate unchanged for the second time, warned that inflation could remain elevated in 2026 due to the Iran conflict, leaving little hope for near-term rate cuts.

In addition to global jitters, the sharp sell-off in heavyweight HDFC Bank added further pressure, a...