Volatility rules, Markets end in red

New Delhi: The markets ended in the red but witnessed choppy trade through the day, as investors worried about Fed rate hike and F&O expiry on Thursday.

The Sensex fell 21.31 points or 0.21% to finish at 10,129.70. It touched an intraday high of 10,204.66 and an intraday low of 9,909.76.

The Nifty also ended down 1.35 points or 0.05 per cent at 2981.10. It touched an intraday high of 3003.65 and an intraday low of 2909.60.

The CNX Midcap finished at 3794.70, down 0.76 per cent. It touched an intraday high of 3810.80 and an intraday low of 3754.75.

The BSE Midcap also closed at 4,214.64, down 19.90 points or 0.47 per cent. The BSE Small Cap also slipped 49.04 points or 0.93 per cent at 5,195.95.

The market breadth was negative, about 847 shares advanced, 1471 shares declined, and 71 shares remained unchanged.

The total market turnover registered at Rs 39,247.05 crore (Rs 392.47 billion). The NSE cash turnover was at Rs 5911.84 crore (Rs 59.11 billion). The BSE cash turnover was at Rs 3593.07 crore (Rs 35.93 billion).

Top losers were Reliance Comm, HDFC, ONGC, Ranbaxy Labs, HPCL, Jet Airways and SAIL.

However, Bajaj Auto, TCS, Hindalco, Wipro, VSNL and ABB were the biggest gainers on the indices.

SAIL board has approved Rs 1,553 crore expansion plan for Salem steel plant. The stocks slipped 3.12 per cent at 77.70.

Asian Paints has hiked prices of some products by Rs 2-3 per litre.

UK court has rejected Ranbaxy's appeal on Lipitor patent. The share ended down 2.52 per cent at 351.65.

UK court has upholded Pfizer's claim on infringement of patent-633. The stock closed up 1.35 per cent at 770.90.

The BSE Bankex lost 80.73 points or 1.87 per cent to end at 4,243.03, as selling was seen in Kotak Mahindra, Allahabad Bank, Bank of India, Andhra Bank, Canara Bank, UTI Bank, Union Bank and SBI.

Consumer Durables stocks like Titan Industries, Whirlpool and Blue Star also plunged. The BSE Consumer Durables Index closed at 2,605.03, down 58.37 points or 2.19 per cent.

Pharma stocks including Ranbaxy Labs, Aventis Pharma, Dr Reddy's Labs, Lupin, Apollo Hospital and Cadila Healthcare also plummeted. The BSE Healthcare Index ended down 32.59 points or 1.06 per cent at 3,050.70.

The BSE Metal Index closed at 8,045.56, down 52.35 points or 0.65 per cent. Metal stocks like Jindal Saw, Sesa Goa, Welspun Guj, JSW Steel, SAIL, Jindal Stainless and Jindal Steel also dropped.

However, the BSE Auto Index ended at 4,510.17, up 45.57 points or 1.02 per cent, as gains were seen in Apollo Tyres, Tube Investment, Cummins, Bajaj Auto, M&M and Punj Tractors.

Technology stocks like TCS, Wipro, Patni Computer, i-Flex Solutions and HCL Info also finished in the green. The BSE IT Index closed up 26.26 points or 0.74 per cent at 3,597.93.

The BSE Oil & Gas Index also ended up 34.61 points or 0.69 per cent at 5,049.68. Oil stocks including GAIL, Reliance, Chennai Petro and BPCL also advanced.

Capital goods and FMCG stocks also witnessed some buying in late trade.