Benchmark domestic equity indices ended on a negative note after a choppy trade today. The Sensex declined 135 points to close at 75 thousand 183, while the Nifty dipped marginally by four points to settle at 23 thousand and 655. The broader market on the National Stock Exchange ended mixed. The Mid-cap 100 ended flat with negative bias, while the Small-cap 100 rose by 0.6 per cent.
Earlier, the markets opened higher amid positive global cues. However, the momentum proved short-lived, as both indices gave up their initial gains during the afternoon session.
In the Sensex pack, shares of 17 out of 30 companies registered losses. Among the top underperformers, Bajaj Finance shed 1.7 per cent, Tech Mahindra dropped over 1.4 per cent, and Hindustan Unilever lost nearly 1.4 per cent. In contrast, Indigo jumped almost 3.2 per cent, Bharat Electronics Limited climbed 1.8 per cent and Trent advanced over 1.7 per cent.
In the sectoral indices at the BSE, 16 out of 25 sectors ended in positive territory. In the top gainers, Services rose 1.6 per cent, Capital Goods climbed 1.3 per cent and Industrials as well as Realty added 1.1 per cent. Among the top losers, IT as well as Focused IT fell over half a per cent, Mid-Small Private banks index lost almost half a per cent, and FMCG dropped by 0.4 per cent.
The overall market breadth at the BSE was positive, as shares of 2 thousand 426 companies advanced, 1 thousand 745 declined, and 191 remained unchanged.
