Sensex closes 0.91 per cent down

MUMBAI, Nov 12: A benchmark index of the Indian equities markets closed 0.91 per cent lower on Thursday with realty, metal and banking stocks coming under selling pressure.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 16,822.18 points, shut shop at 16,696.03 points, 0.91 per cent or 153.57 points lower than its previous close at 16,849.6 points. The S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also ended lower at 4,952.65 points, down 1.03 per cent from its last close.

Broader market indices fell as well - the BSE midcap index ending 0.93 per cent lower and the BSE small cap index closing 0.27 per cent down. The market breadth was negative, with 1,201 stocks advancing, 1,516 declining and 89 remaining unchanged.

Among prominent gainers on the Sensex were Reliance Communications, up 1.87 per cent at Rs 174.55; Wipro, up 1.44 per cent at Rs 625.10; TCS, up 1.42 per cent at Rs 654.20, and Grasim Industries, up 0.66 per cent at Rs 2,266.40.

Among losers were State Bank of India, down 3.51 per cent at Rs 2,295.90; DLF, down 3.4 per cent at Rs 370.85; ICICI Bank, down 3.2 per cent at Rs 895.05, and Tata Steel, down 2.75 per cent at Rs 511.85.

According to data with the regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), foreign institutional investors bought shares worth $208.9 million on Thursday. Other leading Asian markets closed in the red too. The primary index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Hang Seng, ended 229.64 points or 1.01 per cent lower at 22,397.57 points. The Kospi, benchmark index of the Korean Stock Exchange, shut at 1,572.73 points, down 22.09 points or 1.39 per cent. The Nikkei, a key index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, closed at 9,804.49 points, down 67.19 points or 0.68 per cent. In China, the Shanghai Stock Exchange composite index ended at 3,172.95 points, down 0.07 per cent.

European markets were trading on a dull note. Britain’s FTSE 100 index was ruling 0.2 per cent higher at 5,277.08 points, while its French peer, CAC 40, was trading 0.1 per cent up at 3,817.33 points. (IANS)