Mumbai, May 2 (IANS) A benchmark index for Indian equities markets Wednesday closed in the red, dropping marginally and snapping three days of gains, as lower-than-expected manufacturing data and negative European markets dampened sentiments.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened in the positive at 17,370.93 points, closed at 17,301.91, down 0.10 percent or 16.90 points from its previous close at 17,318.81.
The Sensex touched a high of 17,432.33 and low of 17,265.48 in intra-day trade. The midcap index was down 16.90 points while the smallcap grew by 13.32 points.
The broad-based 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was 0.17 percent or 9 points up at 5,239.15 points.
Data released Monday showed that growth in eight core industries, including electricity, coal, cement, steel and crude oil, fell to two percent in March from 6.8 percent in the previous month, due to drop in oil and gas output and a sluggish performance of the electricity sector.
At the sectoral level, the consumer durables index was up 158.83 points and the banking index 31.66 points. The IT index gained 41.77 points.
The auto index was down 182.62 points followed by consumer goods index by 88.23 points and oil and gas 46.01 points.
Tata Motors closed the day’s trade down 3.82 percent at Rs.304.65. The company had reported a decline of seven percent in its total sales including exports in April.
Similarly, Maruti Suzuki fell 2.76 percent to Rs.1,332.10. The company had reported a three percent decline in net profit for the fourth quarter of 2011-12.
Other major Sensex losers included Tata Power, down 2.27 percent at Rs.103.10; and Coal India, down 1.90 percent at Rs.345.85, Bajaj Auto, down 1.85 percent at Rs.1,593.15, NTPC, down 1.63 percent at Rs.159.75 and ONGC, down 1.02 percent at Rs.266.95.
Prominent Sensex gainers were DLF, up 2.73 percent at Rs.192 and Bharti Airtel, up 2.47 percent Rs.317.95, Hindustan Unilever, up 2.08 percent at Rs.425, TCS, up 1.83 percent at Rs.1,267.70 and Cipla, up 1.80 percent at Rs.317.45.
