The trends on Gift Nifty also indicate a gap-down start for the Indian benchmark index. The Gift Nifty was trading around 24,540 level, a discount of nearly 108 points from the Nifty futures’ previous close.

Over the past seven years the Nifty 50 trend remained largely flattish on Friday, the 13th, except in 2020 and 2021 when the blue chip index actually gained 3.8% and 1%, not declined, thus negating the superstition.

The BSE Senex plunged 943.10 points, or 1.16 per cent, to 80,346.86. The Nifty declined 284.75 points, or 1.16 per cent, to 24,263.95. All except Bharti Airtel declined from the Sensex pack.

Domestic equity benchmarks Nifty 50 and Sensex settled lower in the previous session due to selling pressure logged in select heavyweights, including Reliance Industries, L&T and Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL).