Sensex opens 45 points lower

File photo shows investors watching a large screen displaying stock prices on the facade of the Bombay Stock Exchange building. The Sensex on Wednesday dropped by 44.79 points to 18,251.37 points in opening trade.

The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex opened 45 points lower on Wednesday as foreign funds reduced their holdings in Indian blue-chip companies amid unrest in the Middle East and a weakening Asian trend.

The 30-share index, which fell by 142.15 points on Tuesday, dropped by 44.79 points to 18,251.37 points in opening trade on Wednesday.

In a similar fashion, the wide-based National Stock Exchange Nifty index moved down by 22.85 points to 5,446.35.

Brokers said sustained selling by funds and reports of a weakening trend on other Asian bourses amid growing unrest in Libya mainly influenced the trading sentiment.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell by 0.11 per cent and Japan’s Nikkei shed 0.71 per cent in early trade Wednesday.