The markets has opened in the red tracking weak global cues. The Sensex opened at 17,714. The index is now down 143 points at 17,609. Nifty is down 51 points at 5,334.
US stocks fell on Wednesday for first time in five sessions after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke disappointed investors who had hoped for a strong signal of more stimulus. At close, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 0.4 per cent at 12,952.07, while The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was 0.5 per cent at 1,365.68.
Asian shares were mixed on Thursday with the MSCI Asia Pacific ex-Japan dipping 0.3 per cent though the Nikkei average opened up 0.5 per cent at 9,771.
Hindalco, SBI, ICICI Bank are down. BHEL slips ahead of key meeting. Metal and Reliance also dampens sentiments. However, ONGC, Sun Pharma, HUL and Siemens are in the green.
Most of the sectoral indices were in the red with capital goods, realty and consumer durables stocks leading the fall. BSE realty index has dropped 2% to 1,914 while bankex has slid 1.8% to 11,753. Meanwhile the healthcare and FMCG idnices are marginally in green.
Among individual stocks, ONGC will launch a share sale through an auction today that aims to raise at least Rs 12,250 crore. The stock is up 0.5% at Rs 295.
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries has received approval from the U-S health regulator for its generic Zyprexa Zydis tablets, used in treating mental disorder, in the American market. The stock is the biggest gainer in the Sensex - up 1% at Rs 556.
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On the other hand, BHEL has dropped 4% to Rs 296. ICICI Bank and Hindalco has shed 2.5%, followed by Larsen & Toubro and SBI. Among other losers are Sterlite, Infosys and Reliance.
Bata India reported 31 per cent rise in its Q-4 net to 45.05 crore rupees. The stock is up 1% at Rs 709.
Muthoot Finance’s 500-crore rupee bond issue, the third this fiscal, will hit the market on Friday. The stock is down 1% at Rs 155.
Shares of media and entertainment firm UTV Software Communications will stop trading on the National Stock Exchange from March 9, pursuant to a voluntary delisting by the company. The stock has dipped marginally to Rs 1,076.