NSE Nifty cracked the key 7,900-level in see-saw volatile momentum to end modestly lower by 12.75 points to finish at 7,899.30.
In a lacklustre activity, wavery market players opted for stock specific buying and selling activity in the absence of any definite direction loomed by mostly negative global cues.
The market opened gap-down amid profit-booking in key FMCG, IT, Pharma and private financials, though the key indices attempted to recover several times amid buying in Auto and Banking sectors, mainly state-owned banks before ending modestly red.
Meanwhile, the broader midcap and smallcap companies shares witnessed slight buying activity.
Elsewhere, Asian markets ended lower following overnight losses for US stocks which tumbled on crude slide and weak earnings. European stocks were trading lower in their afternoon trade dragged down by falls in auto shares amid investor concerns that the emissions scandal could spread to more car makers.
The 50-share index commenced gap-down at 7,891.80 and hovered between a high of 7,923.35 and a low of 7,873.35 before closing at 7,899.30, revealing a modest fall of 12.75 points, or 0.16 per cent.
Stockwise, major losers were Hindunstanlever down 2.20 per cent, Asian Paint 1.98 per cent, HDFC 1.58 per cent, Kotak Bank 1.54 per cent, Sunpharma 1.52 per cent and ITC 1.26 per cent.
However, notable gainers were Maruti 2.20 per cent, SBI 2.98 per cent, Bank of Baroda 2.66 per cent, NTPC 1.77 per cent, Axis Bank 1.69 per cent, Auropharma 1.64 per cent and Tata Motors 1.34 per cent.
Turnover in cash segment was slumped at Rs 15,665.65 crore against Rs 20,564.12 crore yesterday.
A total of 8,467.07 lakh shares changed hands in 69,10,124 trades. The market capitalisation of the NSE stood at Rs 95,71,199 crore.
