Mumbai, Oct 26 (IANS) A benchmark index of Indian equities Tuesday closed 82 points lower in a volatile but range-bound trading day. Global cues too were not positive as investors booked profits ahead of corporate earnings announcement by some blue chip companies.
The 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 20,325.44 points, closed at 20,221.39 points, down 81.73 points or 0.4 percent from its previous close at 20,303.12 points.
At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the 50-share S&P CNX Nifty closed 0.39 percent or 23.8 points down at 6,082 points.
Broader markets were mixed. The BSE midcap index closed 0.42 percent lower while the BSE smallcap index ended 0.22 percent down.
The market breadth was negative, with 1,408 stocks advancing, 1,557 declining and 128 remaining unchanged.
According to data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), foreign institutional investors bought scrips worth $256.58 million Tuesday.
FII fund inflows have crossed $6.36 billion so far in October, with yearly inflows at approximately $24.74 billion.
Consumer durables, auto and FMCG stocks gained, while metals, banking and PSU scrips were in the red.
Major losers were Tata Steel, down 2.62 percent at Rs.605.45; Bharti Airtel, down 2.42 percent at Rs.329.05; Hindustan Unilever, down 2.21 percent at Rs.298.90 and SBI, down 1.84 percent at 3,180.45.
Top gainers included Maruti Suzuki 3.59 percent up at Rs.1,562.85, ITC up 1.3 percent at Rs.171.55, Jaiprakash Associates, up 1.04 percent at Rs.126.70 and Reliance Infra up 0.86 percent at Rs.1,069.15.
Other Asian markets traded cautiously ahead of key quarterly corporate result announcements. Investors chose to get out of positions at higher levels, leading to the downward pressure.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng ended 0.11 percent lower at 23,601.24 points, while the Japanese Nikkei closed 0.25 percent down at 9,377.38 points.
The Shanghai Composite index closed at 3,041.54 points, down 0.32 percent.
European markets were in the red with metal stocks leading the losing stocks after ArcelorMittal issued a cautious fourth-quarter outlook.
Around mid-day, Britain’s FTSE 100 was trading 0.84 percent lower at 5,703.48 points.
The German DAX was down 0.31 percent at 6,618.6 points, while the French CAC 40 was 0.74 percent lower at 3,841.48 points.
