IANS

Mumbai, Sep 1: A key index of the Indian equities markets closed at a loss the second consecutive day, ending Tuesday 115 points lower than its previous closing figure as realty, metal and power stocks came under selling pressure.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 15,691.27 points, ended at 15,551.19 points, down 115.45 points or 0.74 percent. It had risen 256.45 points to 15,923.09 points in the afternoon.

The broader-based Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) aped the Sensex and closed lower at 4,625.35 points, down 0.79 percent.

Greater selling was seen in mid- to small-market capitalised scrips, resulting in the BSE midcap index ending 1.45 percent lower and the BSE smallcap index closing 1.51 down.

The market breadth was negative, with 1,151 stocks advancing, 1,658 declining and 62 remaining unchanged.

"There is a short-term nervousness in the market, owing to the China factor and the impact erratic monsoon will have," said SMC Capitals equity head Jagannadham Thunuguntla.

"But these will surely pass. All in all, the markets will continue to move up because India is one of the few attractive destinations for foreign money," added Thunuguntla.

Among the gainers were Maruti Suzuki, up 7.61 percent at Rs.1,545.95; Tata Motors, up 5.82 percent at Rs.517.85; Hero Honda, up 1.55 percent at Rs.1,534.75; and Wipro, up 1.5 percent at Rs.559.

The leading losers were ACC, down 3.62 percent at Rs.779.45; Sterlite, down 2.88 percent at Rs.655.85; HDFC, down 2.49 percent at Rs.2,412.95; and BHEL, down 2.31 percent at Rs.2,261.20.

Other important Asian markets ended on marginal gains with the Nikkei, a key index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, closing 37.53 points higher at 10,530.06 points, 0.36 percent up from its previous close.

At the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the SSE Composite index ended 0.6 percent up at 2,683.72 points, after losing almost 7 percent Monday.

The primary index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Hang Seng, too closed higher at 19,872.3 points, up 148.11 points or 0.75 percent.

But major European exchanges slipped into the red after a green start. In Britain, the FTSE 100 index was ruling 1.26 percent lower at 4,846.86 points, while its French peer, the CAC 40, was down 0.94 percent at 3,619.34 points.

Germany's DAX was also ruling negative at 5,378.86 points, down 1.45 percent.