INDIA STOCKS-Indian shares fall as Trump's tariff threats unnerve investors

Updates for markets close

By Bharath Rajeswaran and Vivek Kumar M

Feb 10 (Reuters) - India's benchmark indexes declined on Monday, as investors were spooked by U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to impose new tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports as well as reciprocal tariffs on several countries.

The NSE Nifty 50 .NSEI closed 0.76% lower at 23,381.6, while the BSE Sensex .BSESN fell 0.7% to 77,311.8. The key indexes have fallen for four straight sessions, down 1.5% during that period.

Global shares dithered and the dollar edged higher on Trump's warning of more tariffs on steel and aluminium, an inflationary move that could limit the scope of U.S. rate cuts. MKTS/GLOB

The Indian rupee fell to a lifetime low.

Higher rates in the U.S. make foreign investments in emerging markets such as India less attractive.

All 13 major sectors logged losses on the day. The broader, more domestically-focussed midcaps .NIFMDCP100 and smallcaps .NIFSMCP100 shed 2.1% each.

The two heaviest stocks in the benchmark indexes, HDFC Bank HDBK.NS and Reliance Industries RELI.NS lost 1% each.

Markets are under pressure due to U.S. tariff uncertainty after Trump's latest threats, said Vikas Gupta, chief executive and chief investment strategist at investment platform OmniScience Capital.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is preparing additional tariff cuts ahead of his U.S. visit on Wednesday to boost U.S. exports to India and avoid a potential trade war.

The U.S. tariffs on metals could lead to higher supply in other markets, leading to lower base metal prices, said Vinit Bolinjkar, head of research at Ventura Securities.

Metal stocks .NIFTYMET fell 2.6% on the day. Tata Steel TISC.NS lost 3.1% to be among the top Nifty 50 laggards.

Pepsi India bottler Varun Beverages VARB.NS fell after reporting December-quarter profit below analysts' estimates, hurt by higher raw material costs.

State-run explorer Oil India OILI.NS fell 4.6% while Shipping Corporation of India SCI.NS declined 6.1% after disappointing quarterly earnings.

($1 = 87.9010 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Bharath Rajeswaran and Vivek Kumar M in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips, Varun H K, Sonia Cheema and Mrigank Dhaniwala)

((bharath.rajeswaran@thomsonreuters.com; +91 9769003463;))