By IANS,
Mumbai : A benchmark index for Indian equities markets Thursday pared some of its intra-day losses to end 28 points lower.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,013.68 points, shut shop at 16,971.7 points, 28.31 points or 0.17 percent lower than its previous close at 17,000.01 points.
It had slipped more than 100 points earlier in the afternoon trade.
At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty ended trade at 5,080.25 points against the previous close at 5,088.1 points — a loss of 0.15 percent or 7.85 points.
Broader markets, however, saw some buying interest with the BSE midcap index ending 0.78 percent higher and the BSE small cap index 0.81 percent up.
The market breadth was positive, with 1,690 stocks advancing, compared to 1,154 scrips on the decline, while 93 remained unchanged.
Among the gainers on the 30-scrip Sensex were Reliance Communications, up 2.15 percent at Rs.164.15; DLF, up 2.08 percent at Rs.304.45; Reliance Infra, up 2.04 percent at Rs.1,025.20; and Hindustan Unilever, up 1.64 percent at Rs.242.15.
Top losers included Infosys, down 1.4 percent at Rs.2,623.40; Maruti Suzuki, down 1.2 percent at Rs.1,459.50; ICICI Bank, down 1.17 percent at Rs.897.95; and Hindalco, down 0.99 percent at Rs.169.25.
Most other Asian markets also traded on a subdued note.
The benchmark Japanese index, Nikkei, ended 1.05 percent lower at 10,145.72 points, while the South Korean Kospi moved down 0.26 percent at 1,618.2 points.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was ruling in the red too at 20,575.78 points, down 1.44 percent, while the Chinese Shanghai composite index lost 2.38 percent at 3,023.37 points.
It was another flat opening for European markets, who continued to trade on a sluggish note around closing bell here.
The FTSE 100, the benchmark index of the London Stock Exchange, was ruling 0.1 percent lower at 5,527.6 points, while its German peer DAX was trading at 5,797.05 points, down 0.36 percent.
The French CAC 40 index was also ruling lower at 3,837.21 points, down 0.14 percent.