Sensex closes 126 points down; consumer durables lose

Mumbai  : A benchmark index for Indian equities markets Thursday closed 126 points down following selling pressure in consumer durables, capital goods and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,403.66 points, closed at 19,229.26 points, down 126.00 points or 0.65 percent from its previous close at 19,355.26 points.

The index touched a high of 19,421.72 points and low of 19,196.75 points intra-day. The BSE midcap index was down 81.54 points, while the smallcap index lower by 72.00 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was down 36.50 points or 0.62 percent at 5,851.50 points.

The BSE consumer durables index fell 221.00 points; followed by FMCG index, down 161.76 points; capital goods, down 128.72 points; metals, down 121.72 points; and public sector undertakings (PSU), down 53.65 points.

However, the auto index was up by 96.37 points and oil and gas index increased by 6.67 points.

Among the gainers were Tata Motors, up 3.96 percent at Rs.287.40; Jindal Steel, up 1.76 percent at Rs.420.10; Bharti Airtel, up 1.54 percent at Rs.316.75; Bajaj Auto, up 1.35 percent at Rs.2083.25; and ICICI Bank, up 0.80 percent at Rs.1,121.65.

The major losers were ITC, 3.55 percent lower at Rs.295.00; Sterlite Inds, down 3.27 points at Rs.109.30; Cipla, down 2.14 percent at Rs.406.50; Hindalco Inds, down 2.03 percent at Rs.115.90; and Hindustan Unilever, down 1.91 percent at Rs.519.80.

Among other Asian markets, Japan’s Nikkei was up 1.68 percent while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng declined 0.26 percent. The Shanghai Composite Index also closed lower by 1.02 percent.

European markets were flat. Britain’s FTSE 100 was down 0.26 percent while the German DAX was trading lower by 0.37 percent. The French CAC 40 was down 0.16 percent.