The benchmark S&P BSE Sensex ended 64 points lower today after paring losses ahead of the expiry of September futures and options contracts tomorrow.
Sensex heavyweights Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank and ITC had dragged the index lower by almost 262 points, while buying in SBI, Tata Motors and ONGC gave support.
Reliance Industries alone contributed 53.01 points to the drop in the Sensex. Sectorally, oil and gas, FMCG and bank shares declined, while power, capital goods and healthcare stocks advanced.
The 30-share index opened higher at 19,947.43 and advanced further to 19,978.49 on initial buying. It dropped to 19,658.74 as investors reduced long positions. The Sensex ended at 19,856.24, a loss of 63.97 points or 0.32 per cent.
The 50-share Nifty index on the National Stock Exchange declined 18.6 points, or 0.32 per cent, to 5,873.85. The SX40 index on the MCX Stock Exchange ended 72.51 points lower at 11,778.7.
"As the market approached derivative expiry day, the volatility is increasing," said Nagji K Rita, Chairman & MD of Inventure Growth and Securities. "Post the derivative expiry, one can expect the market to take cues from expectation of quarterly results."
Gainers on the Sensex were led by BHEL, up 7.69 per cent, and Hindalco Industries, which rose 4.19 per cent.
In Asia, barring Hong Kong, which inched up 0.13 per cent, other indices declined, weighed down by concerns that US lawmakers will fail to arrange a budget deal preventing a government shutdown next week. European markets were trading narrowly higher.
