Indian markets fall as Nifty slips below 22,800; metals decline

Indian equity benchmarks fell sharply in mid-afternoon trade, with the Nifty slipping below 22,800 and the Sensex dropping 1.43%, pressured by weak global cues, rising crude oil prices, and concerns over AI technology stocks. Metal shares declined sharply after gaining the previous session, with the Nifty Metal index falling 1.75%. The rupee weakened to 95.9675 against the dollar, while Brent crude surged 2.64% to $100.01 a barrel amid US-Iran tensions. Market breadth was weak, with 769 shares rising against 2,759 falling. Investors also tracked upcoming IPOs, economic data releases, and central bank policy expectations, while the 10-year bond yield rose to 7.172%.