JOIN USThe 30-share index was trading in the green till mid-session, but it pared the 90-point gain, with investors tracking cues in European bourses, which opened on a weak note.
Finally, the barometer closed at 17,730.24, down by 25.70 points, or 0.14 per cent.
Similarly, the National Stock Exchange's wide-based Nifty Index finished at 5,320.60 points, down 0.05 per cent.
According to analysts, the rise in food inflation had a negative impact on the market sentiment. Food inflation rose to 16.9 per cent for the week ended June 12 from 16.12 per cent in the previous week.
Brokers said ICICI Bank, which took a hit of 1.90 per cent to Rs 884.85, mainly dragged down the Sensex. It was the biggest loser in the Sensex components after Reliance Infra, which sank 1.95 per cent.RIL, which today acquired a second shale gas property in the US for USD 1.3 billion, lost 0.69 per cent to Rs 1,051.30.
Reliance Industries, the country's most valued firm, which carries the maximum weightage on the Sensex, had announced that it will acquire a 45 per cent stake in US-based Pioneer Natural Resources' shale gas assets.
Marketmen said that expiry of the derivatives segment also contributed, pulling down the index. "Today being the last date for settlement in the Futures & Options (F&O) segment, the session was volatile. Global cues were also not supportive for the Indian markets," Anand Rathi Securities Head Of Research D D Sharma said.Markets across the globe weakened after the US Federal Reserve said the recovery in the world's biggest economy is modest. It also retained interest rates at historic low levels.
Anther bluechip on the BSE, Sterlite Industries declined for another day and ended at Rs 173.90, down 1.31 per cent. Maruti Suzuki dropped 1.64 per cent, TCS 1.49 per cent and DLF 1.08 per cent.Stock-specific action was more prominent in today's trade and a mixed picture was visible across the sectors. On the sectoral front, realty, oil & gas and bankex were the major losers, while FMCG and consumer goods gained the most.Engineering major L&T was an exception to the general trend, snapping a two-day loss to close today with a net gain of 1.25 per cent.In the BSE-30, 18 stocks ended with losses, while 12 scrips closed in the green.HUL rose 1.67 per cent and was the biggest gainer on the Sensex. Hero Honda gained 0.85 per cent and ITC 0.79 per cent.On the global front, Asian bourses ended mixed. European markets were also trading lower at mid-session.