Sensex closes 105 points lower, realty, bank stocks slump

A benchmark index of Indian equities markets closed 105 points lower Monday after heavy selling in realty, bank and capital goods stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,769.44 points, closed at 17,677.66 points (provisional), 0.59 percent or 105.55 points down from its previous day’s close at 17,783.21 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 17,820.07 points and a low of 17,662.21 points in intra-day trade.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange closed 0.67 percent down at 5,350.45 points.

The BSE realty index was down 42.62 points. And so were banking index, down 237.91 points, and the capital goods, down 190.90 points.

The main Sensex losers were Jindal Steel, down 5.07 percent at Rs.377.50; BHEL, down 3.01 percent at Rs.224.20; SBI, down 2.58 percent at Rs.1,846; ICICI Bank, down 2.21 percent at Rs.934.55; and Tata Power, down 2.14 percent at Rs.96.25.

The major gainers were Mahindra and Mahindra, up 1.38 percent at Rs.773; RIL, up 0.75 percent at Rs.788; Sun Pharma, up 0.69 percent at Rs.670; Cipla, up 0.60 percent at Rs.369.10; and Bajaj Auto, up 0.58 percent at Rs.1,722.