Sensex closes 184 points lower; IT stocks decline

A benchmark index of Indian equities markets closed Wednesday's trade 184.52 points or 0.82 percent down as IT, automobile and technology, media and entertainment stocks tanked.

However, healthy buying was observed in consumer durables and power stocks.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 22,488.96 points, closed the trade at 22,323.90 points (provisional), down 184.52 points or 0.82 percent from the previous day's close at 22,508.42 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 22,532.82 points and a low of 22,286.26 points in trade.

The S&P BSE IT index tanked 223.35 points, automobile index was down 107.49 points, and technology, entertainment and media (TECK) index went down by 105.97 points, while consumer durables index gained by 40.37 points and power index was up by 2.77 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) ended the trade down by 66.69 points or 0.99 percent at 6,650.70 points.