By IANS,
Mumbai : A benchmark index for Indian equities Wednesday ended 120 points lower as profit booking kicking in during what was a very choppy day of trade.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 16,042.18 points, closed at 15,922.17 points, down 120.01 points or 0.75 percent from its previous close.
At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty shut shop at 4,757.2 points against the previous close at 4,792.65 points, a loss of 0.74 percent or 35.45 points.
Broader markets indices closed flat.
Realty, consumer durable and telecom stocks saw buying interest, while capital goods, PSU and power scrips came under selling pressure.
The market breadth was negative, with 1,314 stocks advancing, compared to 1,487 on the decline and 87 remaining unchanged.
Among top gainers on the Sensex were Hindalo, up 1.71 percent at Rs.136.50; HDFC Bank, up 1.49 percent at Rs.1,594.60; Sterlite Industries, up 0.9 percent at Rs.764.40; and Grasim, up 0.86 percent at Rs.2,704.80.
Top losers included M&M, down 3.42 percent at Rs.956.90; SBI, down 2.14 percent at Rs.1,909.40; Tata Steel, down 2.04 percent at Rs.522.55; and Sun Pharma, down 1.96 percent at Rs.1,512.30.
According to data with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), foreign institutional investors were net sellers Wednesday, having sold scrips worth $84.75 million.
Most other Asian markets did relatively better than India.
The benchmark Japanese index, Nikkei, closed 0.31 percent higher at 9,963.99 points, while the Hang Seng of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange shut shop 0.67 percent up at 19,922.22 points.
The Chinese Shanghai composite index too closed in the positive territory, at 2,982.5 points, 1.14 percent up. The Korean Kospi ended flat.
European markets were ruling firm at the closing bell here.
The FTSE 100, the benchmark index of the London Stock Exchange, was trading 1.09 percent higher at 5,167.42 points, while its German peer DAX was trading at 5,570.74 points, up 1.32 percent.
The French CAC 40 index was up 1.27 percent at 3,658.58 points.