The domestic equity benchmarks ended with deep losses on Monday as tensions flared in the Middle East following Iran's attack on Israel. Worries about a wider conflict spooked investors, pushing the Nifty below 22,300. Adding fuel to the fire, hotter-than-expected inflation numbers from the US raised concerns about slowing growth. Small and mid-cap stocks, already facing valuation concerns, were hit especially hard. Oil & gas sector was the only bright spot, as all other sectors bled red. Media, PSU banks, and financial services took a particularly hard hit.