The BSE benchmark Sensex on Friday fell by over 75 points in opening trade due to profit-booking at higher levels amid a weakening trend on other Asian bourses.
The 30-share index, which had gained 48.61 points yesterday, fell by 75.07 points, or 0.40 per cent, to 18,683.56, with stocks of oil and gas, IT and banking sectors succumbing to profit-booking.
Similarly, the wide-based National Stock Exchange Nifty Index moved down by 23.20 points, or 0.40 per cent, to 5,682.10.
Brokers said apart from profit-booking by investors after yesterday’s gains, a weak trend in the Asian region ahead of U.S. economic growth figures to be released later in the day, mainly led to a fall in stock prices.
Meanwhile in the Asian region, Japan’s Nikkei was down by 0.89 per cent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index shed 0.79 per cent.
The U.S. Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.20 per cent higher in yesterday’s trade.
