New Delhi, March 11 -- Escalating tensions in the Middle East have pushed crude prices into the spotlight, making it the single biggest trigger for the recent sell-off in Indian equities.

Brent crude prices experienced a sharp spike and a violent reversal on Monday, skyrocketing to nearly $120 per barrel before settling under $100 amid rising tensions in West Asia, supply constraints, and fears of a prolonged conflict.

A blockade at the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point that carries about a fifth of global oil, has reignited supply shock fears, lifting crude prices and heightening risks for import-dependent economies such as India's. Oil and related energy stocks in India have therefore come into sharp focus.

Today, we take a closer look...