Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 2,808.27 crore on Wednesday, as per provisional data available with stock exchanges.
The Sensex resumed slightly higher at 27,215.19 but fell back to 27,097.85, showing a loss of 110.76 points, or 0.40 per cent.
The CNX 50-share Nifty also eased by 26.15 points, or 0.31 per cent, to 8,147.95.
Asian stocks were trading mixed in early trade.
US markets remained closed yesterday on account of "Christmas".