Sensex closes 78 points down

Mumbai - A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Thursday closed almost 78 points down after FMCG, metal and consumer durables stocks came under selling pressure.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,752.22 points, closed at 17,650.02 points (provisional), 0.44 percent or 78.18 points down from its previous trading day's close at 17,728.20 points.

The BSE FMCG index was down 105.41 points, metal index was down 155.39 points, and consumer durables index down 74.96 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange closed 0.35 percent down at 5,361.55 points.

The main Sensex losers were ITC, down 3.55 percent at Rs.258.25; Hindalco Inds, down 2.62 percent at Rs.117; Sterlite Inds, down 2.58 percent at Rs.109.60; Gail India, down 2.40 percent at Rs.366; and Tata Steel down 1.98 percent at Rs.398.

The major gainers were Hero MotoCorp, up 2.65 percent at Rs.1,929; RIL, up 2.10 percent at Rs.815.55; Mahindra & Mahindra, up 2.06 percent at Rs.762.50; and Cipla, up 1.72 percent at Rs.354.95.