Indian equity markets stand at a crossroads after seven consecutive sessions of decline, caught between the gravitational pull of geopolitical anxiety and the tentative lift of overnight optimism from Asia and Wall Street. Crude oil hovering near $92 a barrel and unresolved US-Iran tensions continue to cast long shadows over emerging market sentiment, even as softer Treasury yields and a Korean-led Asian rally offer a fragile counterweight. The opening bell on Thursday becomes more than a market event — it is a small referendum on whether fear or hope will set the tone for the days ahead.