Sensex back in negative zone after breaching 16k level

The BSE-30 share index, which had crossed 16,000-point mark to touch a high of 16,002.46 points in opening trade, plunged into the negative terrain to trade 109.28 points down at 15,814.95 as foreign funds and retail investors preferred to book profits at the prevailing higher levels.

The Sensex had gained over 750 points, or 4.96 per cent, in the past three sessions
Similarly, the Nifty index on the wide-based National Stock Exchange fell by 35.30 points at 4,676.10 in early trade.

Marketmen said reversal in trend on the other Asian markets, which turned somewhat weak after firm opening, also weighed on the trading sentiments here.

Stocks of FMCG, software exporters, auto and realty sectors, which had risen sharply in the recent run-up, succumbed to profit-taking and pulled down the Sensex.

"Emergence of profit-booking by major participants after a recent run-up, mainly led to a fall in stock prices," said an analyst.

Major losers were Infosys down 1.34 per cent at Rs 2,048, ITC Ltd 2.34 per cent to Rs 242.50, ONGC Corp 1.55 per cent at Rs 1,157.90 and Tata Power 2.18 per cent to Rs 1,320.

Besides, Sun Pharma fell by 1.42 per cent to Rs 1,160, Reliance Infra by 0.54 per cent to Rs 1,21.25, DLF Ltd by 0.26 per cent to Rs 404.60, BHEL by 0.76 per cent to Rs 2,325, Bharti Airtel by 2.35 per cent to Rs 401.45.

The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 1.25 per cent higher on Monday, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down marginally by 0.05 per cent in volatile morning trade on Tuesday.