Mumbai, May 9 -- The frontline indices traded with significant losses in afternoon trade, as escalating tensions between India and Pakistan-intensified by the ongoing Operation Sindoor-kept investors on edge. Market sentiment is likely to remain volatile in the near term, driven by uncertainty surrounding geopolitical developments and upcoming U.S. trade policy updates. The Nifty slipped below the 24,000 level.

Realty, private bank, pharma and FMCG shares declined while PSU Bank and auto shares advanced.

At 13:26 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, dropped 930.17 points or 1.16% to 79,404.08. The Nifty 50 index tumbled 292.50 points or 1.21% to 23,981.30.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index fell 0.76% and the S&P...