Sensex at 19K by year-end: Brokers

BS POLL

A majority of brokerages expect the bellwether Sensex to hover at 19,000 by the end of this calendar year, according to a poll conducted by Business Standard among top local brokerage houses.

The figure is significantly lower than last December when most brokerages had expected a 15 to 20 per cent return from 20,000 levels at the end of 2007. The Sensex has dropped over 25 per cent from its January peak of 20,800.

Of a sample of 20 brokerages, 60 per cent feel some pain is left in real estate and half feel capital goods may underperform over the next couple of quarters.