Sensex Down 82 Points as Bank, Oil and Gas Stocks Tumble

Mumbai: A benchmark index of Indian equities markets was trading 82 points down in afternoon session Friday after banking, oil and gas and capital goods stocks came under selling pressure.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,275.20 points, was ruling at 17,196.70 points, down 0.48 percent or 82.15 points from its previous day's close at 17,278.85 points.

The BSE bank index was down 100.94 points, followed by capital goods index which was down 66.84 points and oil and gas index that was down 64.44 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was ruling 0.55 percent 29 points lower at 5,213.70 points.

The major Sensex gainers were TCS, up 1.85 percent at Rs.1,223; Bajaj Auto, up 1.74 percent at Rs.1,576.15; Maruti Suzuki, up 1.49 percent at Rs.1,133.95; Jindal Steel, up 0.68 percent at Rs.428.35 and Hindalco, up 0.57 percent at Rs.122.90.

Sensex losers were Dr Reddys Lab, down 2.72 percent at Rs.1,610.60; BHEL, down 2.17 percent at Rs.229.55; Sterlite Inds, down 1.23 percent at Rs.104.55; Gail India, down 1.22 percent at Rs.352.70 and L&T, down 1.21 percent at Rs.1,390.15.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was 1.43 percent down and Shanghai's composite index was trading 0.74 percent lower. However, Hong Kong's Hang Seng was 0.08 percent higher.