Sensex ends lower ahead of RBI policy call

BSE benchmark Sensex ended over 67 points down in volatile trade today as cautious investors trimmed their portfolios ahead of RBI’s policy announcement amid subdued macro cues.

The Reserve Bank’s two-day monetary policy review kicked off today. The central bank is widely expected to keep policy rates unchanged tomorrow and will stay focused on controlling inflation, experts said.

Trading mood was also impacted as Fitch Ratings yesterday cut the country’s GDP growth forecast for the current fiscal to 6.7% from the earlier projected 6.9 per cent.

The 30-share Sensex opened on a negative note on across-the-board losses and touched a low of 32,682.52.

However, value-buying in several heavyweights towards the fag-end trimmed the losses, with the index finishing at 32,802.44, down 67.28 points or 0.20%.

The broader NSE Nifty too slipped by 9.50 points, or 0.09%, to end at 10,118.25, after moving between 10,069.10 and 10,147.95.

Meanwhile, services sector activity slipped into the contraction territory during November, post the implementation of the Goods and Service Tax (GST) that led to sluggish demand and lower customer turnout, a monthly survey said.