Sensex, Nifty settle lower amid weakening rupee, FII outflow

Mumbai, Dec 3 (IANS) The domestic equity indices ended slightly lower on Wednesday after a volatile session amid a weakening rupee, FIIs’ outflow and persistent selling in broader markets.

Sensex closed at 85,106.81, down 31.46 points. Sensex started the session flat at 85,150.64 against last day’s closing of 85,138.27. The 30-share index remained volatile during the trading hours amid selling in auto and FMCG heavyweights and buying in IT and banking stocks. The index touched an intraday high at 85,269.68 and a low at 84,763.64.

Nifty closed at 25,986.0, down 46.20 points or 0.18 per cent.

“Equity markets ended lower as the continued slide in the Indian rupee — which hit a fresh record low against the US dollar — prompted foreign portfolio investors to lock in profits, with the currency weakness weighing on their dollar-adjusted returns,” analysts said.

Nifty 50 slipped below the psychological 26,000 mark today and remained confined within a tight consolidation range of 25,875–25,950, they added.

Mahindra and Mahindra, SBI, Titan, NTPC, Hindustan Unilever, Tata Motors PV, Bajaj FinServ, L&T, Maruti Suzuki, Trent, Ultratech Cement, Tata Steel and Bharti Airtel were among the losers from the Sensex stocks. ICICI Bank, TCS, HDFC Bank, Infosys, and Axis Bank settled higher.

Sectoral indices witnessed a mixed approach from the investors as Nifty Fin Services rose 64 points or 0.23 per cent, Nifty Bank jumped 74 points or 0.13 per cent, and Nifty IT went up 284 points or 0.76 per cent. While Nifty Auto fell 335 points or 1.20 per cent, and Nifty FMCG dipped 441 points or 0.80 per cent.

The broader market remained under selling pressure during the session. Nifty Midcap 100 fell 594 points or 0.98 per cent, and Nifty Smallcap 100 decreased settled 127 points or 0.71 per cent down and Nifty 100 slipped 86 points or 0.33 per cent.

–IANS

aps/na