Mumbai: Key stock market indices Sensex and Nifty closed lower on Wednesday due to losses in banking, metal and select FMCG stocks amid mixed global cues.
The 30-share BSE Sensex ended 80.63 points or 0.13 per cent lower at 60,352.82 as 17 of its constituents closed in red. The index opened on a weak note and touched the day's low of 59,967.45 before recovering some of the losses in afternoon session. The broader NSE Nifty declined by 27.05 points or 0.15 per cent to end at 18,017.20 with metal majors Hindalco, Tata Steel and JSW Steel taking a beating. As many as 27 of Nifty stocks declined while 22 advanced.
Analysts said global inflation worries weighed on the market sentiment.
IndusInd Bank was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding more than 3 per cent. Tata Steel declined by 2.77 per cent, HUL by 1.31 per cent, Asian Paints by 1.11 per cent, Titan by 1.07 per cent and SBI by 1.04 per cent.
However, gains in Reliance Industries, which rose by 1.16 per cent, helped the barometer cut losses. Bharti Airtel was the top gainer among Sensex stocks, rising by 3.3 per cent. M&M, Sun Pharma, and ITC were among the gainers.
Sectorally, BSE metal, realty, consumer durables, basic materials, bankex and power indices fell up to 2.07 per cent, while telecom, energy, auto and healthcare indices rose up to 2.16 per cent. Broader midcap and smallcap indices fell up to 0.50 per cent.
The rupee tumbled by 32 paise to end at 74.37 against the US currency on Wednesday, weighed down by a muted trend in domestic equities and strength of the American currency in the overseas market.
Meanwhile, international oil benchmark Brent crude was flat at $84.78 per barrel.