Sensex down 37.45 points, capital goods, power scrips fall

Mumbai - A benchmark index of Indian equities markets was trading 37.45 points lower in afternoon trade Wednesday as power, capital goods, oil and gas came under selling pressure.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,827.25 points, was ruling at 17,847.81 points, 0.21 percent or 37.45 points down from its previous day's close at 17,885.26 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 17,895.79 points and a low of 17,800.29 points in intra-day trade.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was ruling 0.07 percent or 3.60 points down at 5,417.40 points.

The BSE capital goods index was down 31.02 points followed by the oil and gas index, down 29.92 points, and power index, down 16.31 points.

The main Sensex losers were Bharti Airtel, down 7.90 at Rs.250.75, Tata Power, down 2.10 points at Rs.97.70, Jindal Steel, down 5.15 points at Rs.399.85, NTPC, down 2.00 points at Rs.171.80; and RIL, down 6.35 points at Rs.808.

The major Sensex gainers were Dr Reddys Lab, up 32.95 points at Rs.1,692.05, Bajaj Auto 17.60 points at Rs.1,729.70, Hero MotoCorp, up 19.25 points at Rs.1,938.05, Sun Pharma, up 5.90 points at Rs.672.70; and Hindalco Inds, up 0.95 points at Rs.113.25.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was down 0.27 percent while Shanghai's composite index was trading 0.50 percent lower. Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 1.16 percent.