MUMBAI: Traders picked up from where they left last week, booking profits in stocks which had rallied in the past few weeks. A benchmark for Indian markets Monday was ruling 300 points lower around noon with realty and capital goods scrips leading the losers pack.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,975.19 points, was ruling at 17,621.74 points, 301.83 points or 1.68 percent down from its previous close at 17,923.57 points. The 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was trading lower at 5,355.95 points, down 93.55 points or 1.72 percent from its previous close.
Broader markets were also in the red, with the BSE 500 index trading 1.64 percent lower. The BSE midcap index was down 2.2 percent while the BSE small cap index was trading 2.1 percent lower. As per the sectoral indices on the BSE, realty, capital goods and metal stocks were among the biggest losers. FMCG scrips were on the rise.
Prominent gainers on the 30-scrip Sensex included Jindal Steel, BHEL, L&T, RIL and ICICI Bank, while among the losers were Cipla, ITC and HUL. The market breadth was negative with 619 stocks advancing, 1,902 on the decline and 99 unchanged.
Asian markets were mixed. The Japanese Nikkei moved down 0.14 percent to end at 9,633.93 points, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng was ruling flat at 21,420.68 points. The Chinese Shanghai Composite index was ruling 1.08 percent at 2,428.36 points. (IANS)
