<p>Equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty slipped into the negative zone in opening deals on Thursday, weighed down by disappointing macroeconomic data.</p>.<p>The BSE gauge Sensex was trading lower by 51.28 points or 0.12 per cent at 41,514.62 in early trade; while the NSE barometer Nifty was down 16.55 points or 0.14 per cent at 12,184.65.</p>.<p>Both key indices were in the red primarily due to the emergence of selling in financial and auto stocks.</p>.<p>Hurting market sentiment, government data on Wednesday showed that industrial output contracted by 0.3 per cent in December while retail inflation jumped to a 68-month high of 7.59 per cent in January on high food prices.</p>.<p>Ahead of the release of IIP and inflation data, the Sensex had settled 349.76 points, or 0.85 per cent, higher at 41,565.90; and the Nifty had clocked 93.30 points, or 0.77 per cent, gains to settle at 12,201.20 on Wednesday.</p>.<p>Provisional data showed that foreign institutional investors bought equities worth Rs 48.81 crore on a net basis on Wednesday.</p>.<p>The Indian rupee was trading lower by 8 paise at 71.41 against the US dollar in opening deals on Thursday.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, Asian stocks were trading mixed as coronavirus concerns continued to impact investor sentiment globally.</p>.<p>The number of fatalities and new cases from China's coronavirus outbreak soared on Thursday, with over 200 more deaths and thousands of new patients. </p>
<p>Equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty slipped into the negative zone in opening deals on Thursday, weighed down by disappointing macroeconomic data.</p>.<p>The BSE gauge Sensex was trading lower by 51.28 points or 0.12 per cent at 41,514.62 in early trade; while the NSE barometer Nifty was down 16.55 points or 0.14 per cent at 12,184.65.</p>.<p>Both key indices were in the red primarily due to the emergence of selling in financial and auto stocks.</p>.<p>Hurting market sentiment, government data on Wednesday showed that industrial output contracted by 0.3 per cent in December while retail inflation jumped to a 68-month high of 7.59 per cent in January on high food prices.</p>.<p>Ahead of the release of IIP and inflation data, the Sensex had settled 349.76 points, or 0.85 per cent, higher at 41,565.90; and the Nifty had clocked 93.30 points, or 0.77 per cent, gains to settle at 12,201.20 on Wednesday.</p>.<p>Provisional data showed that foreign institutional investors bought equities worth Rs 48.81 crore on a net basis on Wednesday.</p>.<p>The Indian rupee was trading lower by 8 paise at 71.41 against the US dollar in opening deals on Thursday.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, Asian stocks were trading mixed as coronavirus concerns continued to impact investor sentiment globally.</p>.<p>The number of fatalities and new cases from China's coronavirus outbreak soared on Thursday, with over 200 more deaths and thousands of new patients. </p>