Markets continued to trade in the negative zone with pressure seen in auto, oil & ga and banking shares. The Sensex delcined to a low of 17,179 and is now down 69 points at 17,188. Nifty is down 21 points at 5,219.
Broader markets outperformed with the BSE mid and small-cap indices gaining 0.2% each.
The rupee today lost 25 paise to 55.72 against the dollar in early trade at the Interbank Foreign Exchange market as the American currency gained strength against other currencies overseas.
From the sectoral pack, BSE auto index shed 0.8% to 9,034 as companies started reporting their monthly sales numbers. Oil & gas indices shed 0.6%, followed by bankex and metal. On the other hand, FMCG index added 0.3%, along with capital goods and consumer durables indices.
HDFC Bank was the biggest dragger among Sensex stocks and accounted for a 18 points loss on the Sensex. Tata group stcoks were in red. Tata Motors down 2%, Tata Power down 1.5% and Tata Steel down 1% in trades. However, software firm Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) added 0.2% at Rs 1,230.
Among other losers were Coal India, Sterlite, SBI and ONGC. Marklet heavyweight - Reliance, slipped 0.7% at Rs 740.
On the other hand, NTPC added 1.8% at Rs 160. Jindal Steel, Bharti Airtel and Larsen & Toubro added 0.5-1% each.
DLF was up 0.4% at Rs 209 on reports that the company is planning to raise around Rs 3,000 crore from sale of its 17.5 acre prime land in Mumbai and the deal is expected to close this quarter.
Aviation and OMCs reacted to the 4.5 per cent hike in jet fuel prices, the second increase in a month. Spice Jet was down 3% while Jet Airways was up 0.5% at Rs 368. HPCL and BPCL were down 1-2% each.
BSE market breadth was marginally positive. Out of 2,262 stocks ttraded, 1,195 shares have advanced while 958 sdhares have declined.
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