Home Economy Sensex ends 21 points lower; FMCG, banking drag scrips

Sensex ends 21 points lower; FMCG, banking drag scrips

By IANS,

Mumbai : Profit-booking Monday pulled down a benchmark index of the Indian equities markets, which ended trade 21 points lower as FMCG, consumer durables and banking stocks came under selling pressure.

Banking stocks suffered as annual rate of inflation, based on wholesale prices, rose sharply to 4.78 percent in November from 1.34 percent in the previous month.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,118.14 points, shut shop at 17,097.55 points, down 21.48 points or 0.13 percent from its previous close at 17,119.03 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty ended at 5,105.7 points, against the previous close at 5,117.3 points, a loss of 11.6 points or 0.23 percent.

Broader market indices also went slack with the BSE midcap index ending 0.67 percent lower and the BSE smallcap index closing 0.45 percent down.

The market breadth was tilted towards the negative, with 1,167 stocks advancing, 1,670 scripts declining and 64 remaining unchanged.

FMCG, consumer durables and banking stocks lost out the most, while IT and capital goods found favour among buyers.

Other Asian markets, however, saw some gains.

The Hang Seng, a benchmark index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, was ruling higher at 22,085.75 points, 0.84 percent or 183.64 points up.

The Kospi, the benchmark index of the Korean Stock Exchange, was similarly ruling higher at 1,664.77 points, up 0.47 percent.

In China, the Shanghai composite index was ruling 1.71 percent in the green at 3,302.9 points.

On the other hand, a key Japanese index, the Nikkei, closed flat at 10,105.68 points.

European markets were buoyed by the $10-billion bailout of Dubai World by peer emirate Abu Dhabi.

The FTSE 100 index, benchmark index of the London Stock Exchange, was ruling higher at 5,316.6 points, 55.03 points or 1.05 percent up.

The French index, CAC 40, was similarly ruling at 3,834.2 points, up 0.8 percent, while its German peer, the DAX, was trading 1.08 percent higher at 5,818.61 points.