Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty dropped over 1 per cent during the noon trading session on Friday dragged by intensifying conflict in West Asia and surging oil prices.

At 14:20 hours, the 30-share benchmark index was trading at 74681.53 down by -1352.89 points or by -1.78 % and then NSE Nifty was at 23143.2 down by -495.95 points or by -2.1 %.

Sensex touched intraday high of 75576.2 and intraday low of 74454.6 The NSE Nifty touched intraday high of 23492.4 and intraday low of 23112

The top gainers of the BSE Sensex pack were Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (Rs. 2154.30,+0.88%), Bharti Airtel Ltd. (Rs. 1806.40,+0.31%), among others.

The top losers of the BSE Sensex pack were Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (Rs. 3472.65,-6.67%), Tata Steel Ltd. (Rs. 184.50,-4.63%), UltraTech Cement Ltd. (Rs. 10654.85,-3.93%), Bharat Electronics Ltd. (Rs. 436.90,-3.71%), Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. (Rs. 12553.15,-3.56%), among others.

FMCG index was at 17608.14 up by -100.61 points or by -0.57%. Zydus Wellness Ltd. (Rs. 415.45,+6.98%), Tata Consumer Products Ltd. (Rs. 1080.00,+2.13%), Kaveri Seed Company Ltd. (Rs. 814.85,+1.75%), Hatsun Agro Products Ltd. (Rs. 950.95,+1.71%), Bannari Amman Sugars Ltd. (Rs. 3600.00,+1.41%),.

Metal index was at 37383.88 down by -1774.37 points or by -4.53%. Jindal Steel Ltd. (Rs. 1148.55,-6.25%), Hindalco Industries Ltd. (Rs. 911.75,-5.99%), Hindustan Zinc Ltd. (Rs. 549.60,-5.72%), National Aluminium Company Ltd. (Rs. 387.70,-5.27%), Steel Authority of India (SAIL) Ltd. (Rs. 146.10,-4.88%),.

The Market breadth, indicating the overall strength of the market, was weak. On BSE out of total shares traded 4513 , shares advanced were 899 while 3430 shares declined and 184 were unchanged.