Mumbai, Aug 16 (IANS) A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Thursday closed almost 71 points down led by profit booking. FMCG, metal and consumer durables stocks came under selling pressure.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,752.22 points, closed at 17,657.21 points, 0.40 percent or 70.99 points down from its previous trading day's close at 17,728.20 points.
The BSE FMCG index was down 108 points, metal index was down 153.58 points, and consumer durables index down 65.45 points.
The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange closed 0.32 percent down at 5,362.95 points.
The main Sensex losers were ITC, down 3.59 percent at Rs.258.15; Hindalco Inds, down 2.75 percent at Rs.116.85; Sterlite Inds, down 2.44 percent at Rs.109.75; Gail India, down 2.17 percent at Rs.366.85; and Tata Steel down 1.93 percent at Rs.398.20.
The major gainers were Hero MotoCorp, up 2.69 percent at Rs.1,929.70; Mahindra & Mahindra, up 2.13 percent at Rs.763; RIL, up 2.04 percent at Rs.815.05; and Cipla, up 2.01 percent at Rs.355.95.
Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 1.88 percent up while Shanghai's composite index closed 0.32 percent down. Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed 0.45 percent down.
At closing bell here, European markets were mixed too. France's CAC was down 0.01 percent. Germany's DAX was 0.23 percent up and Britain's FTSE 100 was 0.19 percent down.
