Mumbai, Oct 14: Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty closed lower on Wednesday amid profit-taking after a sharp rally in the previous session, as a spike in wholesale price-based inflation and firm crude oil prices hit investor sentiment. The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 251.89 points, or 0.34 per cent, to settle at 72,781.89. During the day, it hit a high of 73,195.26 and a low of 72,578.75.
The 50-share NSE Nifty dropped 99.25 points, or 0.44 per cent, to end at 22,622.70. From the 30 Sensex firms, Bajaj Finance, Mahindra & Mahindra, Bajaj Finserv, Eternal, ICICI Bank and InterGlobe Aviation were among the major laggards.
Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Tata Consultancy Services, Hindustan Unilever, NTPC and Reliance Industries were among the major gainers.
India’s wholesale price-based inflation rose to 11.39 per cent in September, compared to 9.92 per cent in August, on rising prices of food, manufactured items, and fuel and power, government data showed on Wednesday.
“Indian equities witnessed a volatile session as profit booking emerged after recent gains, with investors turning cautious ahead of key US inflation data. Sentiment found some support from easing intraday crude oil prices, rupee appreciation following the RBI’s forex measures, and expectations of a potential review of LTCG tax and STT.
“However, a hotter-than-expected domestic WPI print pushed bond yields higher, reviving concerns over a tighter monetary policy trajectory and weighing on automobiles, private banks and metals,” Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said.
Broader markets also declined as the BSE SmallCap Select index fell 0.72 per cent and the MidCap Select index by 0.14 per cent.
Among BSE sectoral indices, Housing Finance tanked 1.12 per cent, Insurance 1.04 per cent, Healthcare 0.93 per cent, Auto 0.87 per cent, and Hospitals 0.82 per cent. (PTI)