The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex closed 50 points lower on Tuesday on heavy fag-end selling after the index touched a 30-month high in intra-day trade.
The Sensex, which had lost 27 points in the previous session, fell further by 50.28 points to 17,878.14. Earlier in the day, it climbed to 30—month high of 18,040.17 points.
The broad-based National Stock Exchange Nifty index shuttled between 5,416.45 and 5,353.60 before ending with a loss of 18.45 points at 5,368.00, as stocks in the healthcare, auto and refinery segments suffered heavy losses.
Late selling gathered momentum after European stock markets opened on a weak note this afternoon. A 1.15 per cent decline in Japan’s Nikkei index in the wake of Wall Street’s plunge over the weekend and disappointing US corporate earnings weighed on blue-chip stocks as well.
In the 30—BSE index components, 20 stocks closed with losses, while ten ended higher.
Reliance Industries fell by Rs 3.35 to Rs 1,052.90, while Infosys Technologies lost Rs 12.70 to Rs 2,757.60. HDFC Ltd fell by Rs 37.70 to Rs 3,012.95. The three stocks carry nearly 27 per cent weightage on the Sensex.
Bucking the general weakening trend, Larsen and Toubro gained Rs 10.10 to Rs 1,902.20, while Tata Consultancy Services rose by Rs 3.20 to Rs 827.40, Wipro by Rs 3.75 to Rs 407.70 and Sterlite Industries by Rs 2.50 to Rs 166.10.
