Mumbai, Jul 26 (IANS):A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Thursday tanked 188 points as traders exited open positions on the last day of the July F&O (futures and options) series and sustained selling in realty and capital goods stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 16,887.84 points, closed 16,657.42 points (provisional), 1.12 percent or 188.63 points down from its previous day's close at 16,846.05 points.

The BSE realty index was down 58.37 points, followed by capital goods index, down 196.52 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange closed 1.23 percent down at 5,046.90 points.

The main losers were Tata Motors, down 2.98 percent at Rs.206.60; Tata Power, down 2.70 percent at Rs.93.65; SBI, down 2.52 percent at Rs.2,018.55; Infosys, down 2.21 percent at Rs.2,120; and Wipro, down 2.21 percent at Rs.331.50.

The major Sensex gainers were NTPC, up 1.60 percent at Rs.152.40; Bajaj Auto, up 0.85 percent at Rs.1,575; Sun Pharma, up 0.84 percent at Rs.614.95; Gail India, up 0.77 percent at Rs.346.70; and Dr Reddy's Lab, up 0.30 percent at Rs.1,619.20.