Sensex falls for third day; U.S.-N.Korea tensions spook investors

By Tanvi Mehta

REUTERS - Indian shares fell for a third consecutive session on Wednesday, dragged down by financial and healthcare stocks, as escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula hit regional markets.

Asian shares and U.S. stock futures slipped after Pyongyang said it is considering plans to attack Guam, just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump told North Korea that any threat to the United States would be met with "fire and fury."

Analysts said any fall in domestic equities could be limited. Shares have hit records highs this year on prospects of improving earnings and economic and fiscal reforms from the government.

"Global news flow is weighing heavy on the markets. I don't think there is more than 4-5 pct downside from the levels we've seen recently," said Gaurang Shah, head investment strategist, Geojit Financial Services.

The broader NSE Nifty was down 0.29 percent at 9,949.50 as of 0528 GMT, while the benchmark BSE Sensex was 0.38 percent lower at 31,893.61.

Drugmaker Sun Pharmaceutical Industries' shares slumped as much as 5 percent to their lowest in over four years after unit Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd's June-qtr profit halved to $54.5 million.

The Nifty Pharma index fell as much as 2.2 percent to its lowest in over two months.

Nifty Bank index was trading 0.5 percent lower, after falling nearly a percent in the last two sessions.

(Reporting by Tanvi Mehta in Bengaluru; Editing by Vyas Mohan)