The BSE benchmark index Sensex pared early gains to close down by 48 points due to profit-booking in bluechips in a volatile trade, extending losses for the fourth day in a row.
Stock markets had opened on a strong note with the 30-scrip Sensex touching a high of 22,680.46 points in early trade. However, profit-booking in late afternoon session in metal, capital goods and banking stocks pulled the index down to a day’s low of 22,284.96 points.
The BSE barometer closed with a loss of 48.39 points to 22,417.80. The gauge had lost 410 points in the previous three sessions.
The broad-based Nifty of the National Stock Exchange lost 18.85 points to settle at 6,696.40. During the session, Nifty shuttled between 6,780.15 and 6,656.80.
The major losers were Larsen and Toubro, ICICI Bank, Reliance Industries, Infosys, Coal India, Bajaj Auto, Bharti Airtel, Hindalco, Sesa Sterlite, Sun Pharma, Tata Power, Tata Steel, Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro.
The realty sector index suffered the most by losing 5.30 per cent to 1,396.79 followed by power index by 2.08 per cent to 1,686.54. Capital goods index fell by 2.03 per cent to 12,118.32 and Consumer durable by 2 per cent to 6,517.26.
