The index, however, slipped back into red owing to lack of buying support at higher levels. The selling gain momentum in late noon trades and the index tumbled to a low of 16,679 - down 447 points from the high.
The Sensex finally closed (provisional) with loss of 402 points at 16,679.
The NSE Nifty closed (provisional) points 109 lower at 4,972.
