#Sensex slides 109 pts; investors cautious ahead of #GST debate

Mumbai, Aug 3 (PTI) BSE benchmark Sensex fell nearly 109 points and NSE Nifty dipped below the 8,600-mark in early trade today owing to increased selling in various counters as participants adopted a cautious approach ahead of GST debate in Rajya Sabha.

Besides, weak Asian cues also influenced investors sentiment, pulling the 30-share barometer down by 108.55 points, or 0.39 per cent, at 27,873.16 in early trade.

The index had lost 226.89 points in the previous three sessions.

Sectoral indices led by FMCG, oil&gas, realty, power, infrastructure, banking and healthcare were trading in the negative zone, falling up to 0.60 per cent.

The NSE Nifty was trading down by 36.30 points, or 0.42 per cent, at 8,586.60 in early trade.

Brokers said continued selling by investors, taking cues from weak Asian markets as Japan’s economy-boosting stimulus disappointed investors amid overnight losses at the US markets, dampened mood here.

In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei fell 0.86 per cent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index shed 1.70 per cent in early trade today. Shanghai Composite index, however, was quoting 0.04 per cent higher.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.49 per cent lower in yesterday’s trade.