Sensex falls 84 points in opening trade

The 30-share index, Sensex, which had gained nearly 960 points in the past five straight sessions, fell by 84.36 points at 15,685.49, or 0.80 per cent, as stocks of realty, metals and auto came under some pressure.

Similarly, the Nifty index on the wide-based National Stock Exchange lost 35.70 points,or 0.29 per cent to 4,645.15.

Emergence of profit-booking by funds as well as retail investors mainly led to the decline in stock prices, brokers said.

Squaring-up of positions by market participants, as today being the last session of monthly expiry in the derivatives segment also put some pressure on the trading sentiment.

Trading sentiment also turned weak as growth of six core infrastructure industries eased to 1.8 per cent in July, the lowest this fiscal.

Major losers were DLF Ltd which was down 0.60 per cent to Rs 396.65, Tata Steel 1.33 per cent to Rs 453.95, Hindalco 1.17 per cent to Rs 105.90, MSI 0.98 per cent to Rs 1,391.30, Tata Motors 1.88 per cent to Rs 489.30, RIL 0.91 per cent to Rs 2,021 and Reliance Infra by 1.02 per cent to Rs 1,135.25.

The Japan's Nikkei was down up to two per cent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index shed 0.50 per cent in morning trade on Thursday.