Sensex closes 62 points down, metal, bank stocks plummet

A benchmark index for Indian equities markets was Thursday closed 62 points down, following selling pressure in metal, bank and information technology (IT) stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,514.88 points, closed at 19,424.10 points, down 62.70 points or 0.32 percent from its previous close at 19,486.80 points. 

The index touched a high of 19,561.87 points and a low of 19,363.13 points intra-day. The BSE midcap index was down 5.55 points. The smallcap index closed lower by 7.79 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was down 9.75 points or 0.16 percent at 5,921.15 points.

The BSE metal index was down 82.36 points, while the bank index was lower by 74.01 points, followed by the information technology (IT) index, was down 55.84 points, oil and gas index was down by 44.06 points and realty index down 35.97 points.

However, the auto index was up by 55.68 points and consumer durables index was higher by 43.33 points.

Among the gainers were Maruti Suzuki, up 1.94 percent at Rs.1,510.05; Tata Power, up 0.87 percent at Rs.109.70; BHEL, up 0.77 percent at Rs.242.90; Mahindra and Mahindra, up 0.74 percent at Rs.936.85; and Hindalco Inds, up 0.69 percent at Rs.123.85.

The major losers were Sterlite Inds, 2.25 percent lower at Rs.112.85; Tata Steel, down 1.19 points at Rs.394.90; Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), down 1.13 percent at Rs.1,267.95; Reliance Industries, down 0.89 percent at Rs.834.20; and Sun Pharma, down 0.85 percent at Rs.696.05.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was down 0.19 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 0.26 percent. However, China's Shanghai Composite Index closed higher by 1.60 percent.

European markets were flat with Britain's FTSE 100 down 0.08 percent, while the German DAX was trading lower by 0.08 percent. The French CAC 40 index was up 0.03 percent.