Sensex Ends Over 150 Points Lower Weighed Down By Metal, Pharma Shares

The S&P BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty 50 indexes ended lower on Friday paced by selling pressure in metal, pharma and auto shares. For most part of the day, the benchmarks traded lower and extended declines in the last hour of trade. HDFC, IndusInd bank, Tata Consultancy Services, Larsen & Toubro, ONGC and Vedanta were among the biggest drags on the Sensex. The Sensex fell as much as 207 points and the Nifty 50 index tested important psychological level of 11,500.

The Sensex ended 167 points or 0.43 per cent lower at 38,823 and the NSE Nifty 50 index declined 0.51 per cent or 58 points to close at 11,512.

All the 11 sector gauges compiled by National Stock Exchange ended lower led by the Nifty Metal index's 2.64 per cent fall.

Nifty Realty, Nifty Pharma, Nifty Media and Nifty Auto indexes also fell between 1.38-2.28 per cent.

Mid- and small-cap shares also witnessed selling pressure and underperformed the Nifty 50 index as both Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 100 indexes declined over a per cent each.

Vedanta was top loser in the Nifty 50 basket of shares. The stock fell 5.69 per cent to close at 156.65. Yes Bank dropped 5 per cent to close below Rs 50-mark and settle at a fresh 52-week low. IndusInd Bank, Tata Steel, Zee Entertainment, Tata Steel, ONGC, Tata Motors, Adani Ports, Bharat Petroleum, Britannia Industries and Grasim Industries also fell between 2.56 and 4.92 per cent.

On the flipside, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finance, ITC, Bajaj Finserv, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Reliance Industries were among the notable gainers.

The overall market breadth was negative as 1,128 shares closed lower while 652 ended higher on the NSE.