By IANS,
Mumbai : Indian equities continued to trade in the red, mirroring the bearish sentiment in other bourses as Europe’s debt crisis and rising US jobless claims fuelled investor risk aversion across the globe.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 16,317.94 points, ruled at 16,342.6 points, 177.08 points or 1.07 percent down from its previous close at 16,519.68, in afternoon trade.
At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was ruling at 4,899.55 points, down 0.97 percent from its previous close.
Selling pressure intensified in broader markets, with the BSE midcap index ruling 1.75 percent down and the BSE smallcap index 1.88 percent lower.
In other Asian markets, traders sought to reduce exposure to riskier instruments in the wake of the European crisis.
The Japanese Nikkei ended 2.45 percent down at 9,784.54 points, while the Shanghai Composite index was ruling 1.08 percent higher at 2,583.52 points.
Hong Kong and South Korean markets were closed.
European shares were also ruling lower in early trade Friday.
Britain’s key index FTSE 100 was down 0.93 percent at 5,025.91 points.
The French CAC 40 too was trading 0.86 percent lower at 3,402.88 points and the German DAX was at 5,796.66 points, down 1.21 percent.