Sensex slips 136 points, consumer durables, banking stocks lose

Mumbai, March 28 (IANS) A benchmark index for Indian equities Wednesday closed 136 points lower on widespread selling and weak global cues. Consumer durables, realty and banking and PSU stocks fared the worst.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,234.48 points, closed at 17,121.62 points, down 135.74 points or 0.79 percent compared to its previous close at 17,257.36 points.

The 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange also ended lower at 5,194.75 points, down 48.4 points or 0.92 percent from its previous close.

Broader markets were in the negative too with the BSE 500 index closing 0.9 percent down. The BSE midcap index slipped 0.87 percent, while the BSE small cap index was down 1.08 percent.

FMCG and healthcare stocks saw modest gains. The market breadth was negative with 889 stocks advancing, 2,030 on the decline and 96 remaining unchanged.

Gainers on the Sensex included Tata Steel, up 2.02 percent at Rs.455.50; Maruti Suzuki, up 0.98 percent at Rs.1,287.60; Wipro, up 0.69 percent at Rs.429.95 and ITC, up 0.53 percent at Rs.226.70.

Among losers on the benchmark were ONGC, down 2.75 percent at Rs.257.95; SBI, down 2.28 percent at Rs.2,081.15; ICICI Bank, down 1.93 percent at Rs.859.10 and Infosys, down 1.18 percent at Rs.2,841.55.

Asian markets saw some profit booking after the gains in the previous session.

The Japanese Nikkei index closed 0.71 percent down at 10,182.57 points.

Hong Kong's index also closed 0.77 percent lower at 20,885.42 points, while the Chinese Shanghai Composite index ended 2.65 percent down at 2,284.88 points.

European bourses were dull.

Britain's FTSE 100 was down 0.2 percent at 5,857.83 points, while the German DAX was trading flat at 7,072.71 points.

The French CAC 40 was similarly ruling lacklustre at 3,468.75 points.

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