A slowdown in manufacturing activity, uncertainty over Bihar election results and heightened chances of a US rate hike depressed Indian equity markets on Monday.
Furthermore, falling Asian markets on the back of weak Chinese factory data led the 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) to provisionally close 98 points or 0.37 percent down.
The other bellwether index -- 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) -- also closed the day's trade in the red. It was lower by 15 points or 0.19 percent at 8,050.80 points.
The S&P BSE Sensex which opened at 26,641.69 points, provisionally closed at 26,559.15 points (at 3.35 p.m.), down 97.68 points or 0.37 percent from the previous day's close at 26,656.83 points.
The Sensex touched a high of 26,824.30 points and a low of 26,378.26 points in the intra-day trade.