Snapping a three-day winning run, the BSE benchmark Sensex today closed around 13 points lower as cautious investors booked profits in recent outperformers in financial, IT, and metal space ahead of monthly settlement in the derivative segment.
The 30-share index resumed better tracking overnight cues in US markets and immediately touched a high of 20,216.49. However, it later fell back and remained in negative terrain for most of the session to touch a low of 20,044.74. Sensex recovered some ground to settle at 20,147.64, still showing a fall of 13.18 points or 0.07 per cent.
In the three-day upmove, the bluechip index had spurted by 486.49 points or 2.47 per cent.
Fall in ICICI Bank, HDFC, SBI, TCS, Infosys, Tata Steel, Sterlite Ind, Jindal Steel, M&M and Maruti mainly weighed on the market today.
Sun Pharma was the star performer in Sensex with a rise of over 7 per cent on robust earnings. Tata Motors, ITC and RIL also rose restricting any major fall in the Sensex.
Traders said investors also appeared to be avoiding taking fresh positions ahead of Friday's fourth quarter GDP data release while a weak rupee, which touched a 10-month low today, was fanning fears that inflation will rise soon.
Similarly, wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty eased by 6.95 points, or 0.11 per cent to 6,104.30.
"Tomorrow is Futures and Options (F&O) expiry day and volatility is likely to be seen within 6050-6150 levels. Nifty has shown good recovery from lower levels...," said Nidhi Saraswat, Senior Research Analyst, Bonanza Portfolio Limited.
However, MCX-SX flagship index, SX40 today closed 0.9 points, or 0.01 per cent, higher at 11,948.17.
Metal stocks suffered a setback after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut its growth forecast for China indicating a weak world economy and exports, analysts said.
Shares from realty, banking, power and IT were also suffered losses while from pharma and consumer durable attracted good buying interest.
