By IANS,
Mumbai : Weak markets elsewhere in Asia pushed down Indian equities by noon Monday, with a key index ruling 2.08 percent below its previous close.
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Sensitive Index (Sensex), which opened at 8,259.22 points, was at 8,152.86 points, 2.08 percent or 172.96 points lower than its previous close.
Similarly, the S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was at 2,564.95 points, 2.11 percent down from its last close of 2,620.15 points.
The BSE midcap index was 1.02 percent lower, while the BSE smallcap index was down 0.98 percent.
All the 13 sectoral indices on the BSE turned negative with the index for realty and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) stocks losing the most.
Among the gainers on the Sensex were HDFC, up 2.18 percent at Rs.1,250; Tata Motors, up 0.72 percent at Rs.139.50 and Grasim, up 0.42 percent at Rs.1,409.45.
The losers were Hindalco, down 4.2 percent at Rs.37.65; Hindustan Unilever, down 4.18 percent at Rs.214.60; Sun Pharma, down 4.09 percent at Rs.979.75; and ITC, down 4.07 percent at Rs.158.10.
In other Asian markets, a key Japanese index, the Nikkei of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, closed down 87.07 points at 7,086.03 points.
The Hang Seng, a key index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, was ruling 1.76 percent lower than its last close.
In the US, a jump in oil prices sparked a major rally in the final hour of trading on Wall Street Friday, helping US stocks close higher on a day that saw unemployment surge to its highest level in 25 years.
The blue-chip Dow industrials rose 32.5 points or 0.49 percent to 6,626.94.
The broader Standard and Poor’s 500 Index edged up 0.83 points, or 0.12 percent to 683.38 points.
The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index was down 5.74 points, or 0.44 percent, to 1,293.85 after lower sales forecast by computing giant Apple Inc.