Sensex falls 49 pts in early trade; healthcare, IT decline

The benchmark BSE Sensex fell 49 points in early trade today, weighed down by losses in healthcare, IT and consumer durables, amid a weak trend in Asian markets.
The 30-share index fell 48.84 points, or 0.19 per cent, to 24,917.56.
The gauge had lost 371.16 points in the previous session.
On similar lines, NSE Nifty edged lower by 13 points, or 0.17 per cent, to 7,602.10.
Brokers said profit-booking in recent gainers and a weak movement at other Asian markets as investors awaited a speech by US Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen later in the day, triggered selling.
Elsewhere in Asia, Japan's Nikkei was down 0.58 per cent while Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 0.36 per cent in morning trade today. Shanghai Composite Index was trading 1.14 per cent lower.

The US Dow Jones, however, ended 0.11 per cent higher in yesterday's trade.