Indices ended August series of Futures and Options (F&O) above 37,000 level at the S&P BSE Sensex, but below the psychological mark of 11,000 at the Nifty50. Markets remained choppy as fears of an impending global recession and worsening US-China trade relations marred investor sentiment.
The benchmark Sensex closed at 37,069 level, down 383 points or 1.02 per cent, dragged by public sector banks. Sun Pharma, Vedanta, NTPC, and ONGC were among the nine stocks that settled in the green, while State Bank of India (SBI), YES Bank, HDFC, and Axis Bank ended the day as top drags. The broader Nifty50, on the other hand, closed at 10,948-mark, down 98 points or 0.89 per cent.
Domestic investors also remained cautious ahead of GDP data for the April-June quarter (Q1FY20) due on Friday. According to a Reuters poll, Indian economy is set for weakest quarter of growth in five years. The poll median showed the economy was expected to have grown at a year-on-year pace of 5.7 per cent in the June quarter, a touch slower than 5.8 per cent in the preceding three months.
Sectorally, Nifty PSU Bank index ended 2.5 per cent lower, followed by Nifty Financial Services index (down 1.7 per cent), and Nifty Bank index (down 1.6 per cent). Among the gainers, Nifty Pharma index closed 2.24 per cent higher, followed by Nifty Metal, up 1.4 per cent.
In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap index slipped 22 points or 0.17 per cent to settle at 13,333 level. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE SmallCap index closed 78 points, or 0.62 per cent, lower at 12,430.
BUZZING STOCKS Shares of Indiabulls Housing Finance cracked as much as 8 per cent on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in the intra-day trade after the exchange announced that the company will be excluded from the benchmark index Nifty50, with effect from September 27. The stock eventually closed 0.35 per cent lower at Rs 455 apiece.
READ MORE On the flip side, Berger Paints hit a new high of Rs 372, up one per cent on the BSE on hopes of strong volume growth in decorative segment. It settled 1.04 per cent higher at Rs 370 per share.
READ MORE Click here for more buzzing stocks GLOBAL CUES
Global bond yields flirted with record lows while stocks inched down on Thursday, as global recession worries from intensifying U.S.-China frictions and the specter of a no-deal Brexit drove investors to safer harbors.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.15 per cent, Singapore shares hit eight-month lows, while Japan’s Nikkei shed 0.07 per cent.
(With inputs from Reuters)
 "F&O Expiry: Sensex slips 383 pts, Nifty below 11,000; financials decline")
