Sensex falls 0.22 percent; Nifty slips below 6,000-points mark

The 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 20,118.82 points, ended the day at 20,015.80 points, down 0.22 percent or 44.52 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 20,151.25 points and low of 19,931.31 points in the intra-day. 

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the 50-share S&P CNX Nifty slipped below 6,000-point mark due to last hour selling pressure. The Nifty closed 0.27 percent or 16.25 points down at 5,984.40 points.

Broader markets ended almost flat. The BSE midcap index ended 0.10 percent higher at 7,625.65 points and the BSE smallcap index advanced 0.30 percent to 9,337.11 points.
Among the other sectoral indices, the BSE metal index advanced 0.65 percent while the Bankex, oil and gas and auto indices closed in the red. 

Maruti Suzuki slumped 2.11 percent to Rs.1,398.75. Reliance Infra, down 1.74 percent at Rs.794.45; HDFC Bank, down 1.51 percent at Rs.2,179.45; Wipro, down 1.42 percent at Rs.478.45; RIL, down 1.34 percent at Rs.1,057.05; and Hero Honda, down 1.26 percent at Rs.1,941.20 were among major losers at the Sensex.

Among the major gainers at the Sensex were Bharti Airtel, up 3.12 percent at Rs.343.25; Hindalco Inds, up 1.91 percent at Rs.238; Jindal Steel, up 1.55 percent at Rs.695.70; and Tata Motors, up 1.19 percent at Rs.1,365.60.

Other Asian markets closed mixed. The Japanese Nikkei settled 0.23 percent down at 10,346.50 points.

The Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.90 percent to 2,877.90 while the Hong Kong's Hang Seng advanced 0.22 percent at 23,045.20 points.

European markets were choppy. Around mid-day, Britain's FTSE 100 was ruling 0.20 percent higher at 5,963 points, while the German DAX was down 0.04 percent and the French CAC 40 was down 0.05 percent.