By IANS
Mumbai : Indian shares continued to languish in the red for the third consecutive day Friday, fuelled by a global sell-off, with a key index falling 0.86 percent. Buying in technology stocks, however, arrested the losses.
The 30-share benchmark sensitive index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) was down 122.37 points or 0.86 percent to close the weekend at 14,063.81 with only five of its components including three major software export stocks trading in the green.
The broader 50-issue National Stock Exchange index, Nifty, too fell 0.83 percent or 34.50 points to close at 4,145.
India's largest steel producer Tata Steel led the Sensex losers, down 4.76 percent at Rs.585.60, followed by cement major ACC Ltd., down 4.40 percent at Rs.768.55 and top housing finance company Housing Development Finance Company, down 3.86 percent at Rs.1,749.95.
Top multi-utility vehicle maker Tata Motors, leading cigarette maker ITC Ltd., pharma major Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd., top two-wheeler maker Hero Honda, leading drug maker Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd., and state-owned heavy electrical equipment maker BHEL were among the major Sensex stocks that traded in the red.
Top aluminium producer, Hindalco Industries Ltd., led the only five Sensex gainers of the day, up 2.97 percent at Rs.157.704, followed by fourth largest software service company Satyam Computers, up 2.95 percent at Rs.495.35 and India's biggest software exporter TSC Ltd., up 1.20 percent at Rs.1,220.85.
State-run oil and natural gas explorer ONGC Ltd., and second largest software exporter Wipro Ltd., were the only other Sensex shares that traded in the green.
ONGC Ltd. traded at Rs.864.75 gaining 1.18 percent, and Wipro Ltd. sold at Rs.547.70 gaining 0.42 percent.