Markets Close on a Negative Note

The benchmark indices slipped into the red in the late-noon hours to end the session on a weak wicket. Almost all the sectoral indices closed the day in red with the only exception being the FMCG index that managed to close the day in green gaining more than half percentage points. The main draggers for the day are the Metal and Realty indices that closed the day in red declining by more than one percentage points. The Sensex closed the day in red declining 116.25 points or 0.64 percentage points to close at 18,050.78. Nifty ends the day at 5418.30 declining 33.80 points or 0.62 percentage points. Market breadth was negative with 1,272 advances against 1,695 declines on BSE. On the global front, European stocks fell, extending the biggest weekly drop in more than a month, as slower-than forecast economic growth in Japan increased concern that the global recovery may be faltering. Most Asian shares declined and U.S. index futures fluctuated.