Mumbai: Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled 1 per cent Tuesday dragged down by losses blue-chips HDFC Bank, Reliance Industries and ICICI Bank.
Retreating from early highs, the 30-share BSE Sensex tanked 872.98 points or 1.06 per cent to settle at 81,186.44. During the day, it dropped 905.72 points or 1.10 per cent to 81,153.70.
The NSE Nifty tumbled 261.55 points or 1.05 per cent to 24,683.90.
Analysts said investors opted for profit-booking as they awaited more clarity on the India-US trade agreement.
From Sensex firms, Eternal dropped the most by 4.10 per cent. Maruti, Mahindra & Mahindra, UltraTech Cement, Power Grid, Nestle, Bajaj Finance, Hindustan Unilever and Asian Paints were also among the laggards. HDFC Bank dropped by 1.26 per cent and index major Reliance Industries by 1.13 per cent.
Tata Steel, Infosys and ITC were the gainers.
“With the lack of major positive triggers and prevailing uncertainty over US fiscal stability, investors opted for profit-booking and adopted a cautious stance. Selling pressure was widespread as participants awaited more clarity on the India-US trade agreement,” Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said.
“Given the current premium valuations and delays in the trade deal, we foresee a phase of short-term consolidation, which may lead FIIs to scale back their positions in the domestic market,” he added.
Among Asian markets, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index, Shanghai’s SSE Composite index and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng settled in the positive territory while South Korea’s Kospi ended marginally lower.
Markets in Europe were trading in the green. US markets ended higher Monday.
Global oil benchmark Brent crude dipped 0.11 per cent to USD 65.47 a barrel.
Foreign institutional investors offloaded equities worth Rs 525.95 crore Monday, according to exchange data.
On Monday, the 30-share BSE barometer Sensex declined 271.17 points or 0.33 per cent to settle at 82,059.42. The Nifty dipped 74.35 points or 0.30 per cent to 24,945.45.
PTI