MUMBAI: Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty closed lower on Wednesday, snapping their four-day winning streak as investors booked profits in blue-chip stocks such as Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank.
In a volatile session, the 30-share BSE Sensex declined 153.09 points or 0.19 per cent to settle at 81,773.66. During the day, the index touched a high of 82,257.74 and a low of 81,646.08, swinging 611.66 points intraday.
The broader 50-share NSE Nifty also slipped, dropping 62.15 points or 0.25 per cent to close at 25,046.15, mainly due to the loss incurred by the blue-chip stocks.
Among the laggards in the Sensex pack were Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Bharat Electronics, UltraTech Cement, Trent, Sun Pharma, Power Grid, and Reliance Industries.
“Key indices witnessed a volatile session, tempered by profit booking after a sharp rally. Investor caution dominated ahead of the Q2 earnings season, as market participants reassessed valuations and growth prospects,” said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services.
On the institutional front, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net buyers on Tuesday, purchasing equities worth Rs1440.66 crore, according to exchange data.
In Asian markets, Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng indices ended lower. Markets in China and South Korea remained closed for holidays.
European stocks were trading higher, while US markets ended in the red on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, global oil benchmark Brent crude rose 1.16 per cent to $66.21 a barrel.
On Tuesday, the Sensex had advanced 136.63 points or 0.17 per cent to close at 81,926.75, while the Nifty edged up by 30.65 points or 0.12 per cent to 25,108.30.
