The Indian stock indices traded weak right through the session on Friday as geopolitical worries after United States launched cruise missiles against an airbase in Syria hurt sentiment in global stock markets. The rupee's weakness against the U.S. dollar and some profit taking ahead of the reporting season too contributed to the decline.
The BSE benchmark Sensex ended down 220.73 points or 0.74% at 29,706.61, nearly 40 points off the day's low of 29,668.45. The Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange, which declined to 9188.10, ended at 9198.30, losing 63.65 points or 0.69%.
In the forex market, the rupee was trading at 64.22 against the U.S. dollar, after strengthening to 64.16 a dollar intraday. On Thursday, the rupee had ended at 64.53 a dollar.
Healthcare, metal, realty and bank stocks were the prominent losers. Information technology, consumer durables and power stocks too ended mostly lower. FMCG, capital goods and automobile stocks ended on a mixed note.
Shares of state-run oil marketing companies Indian Oil Corporation (3.1%), BPCL (4.6%) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (2%) ended on firm note amid reports that these companies are looking at reviewing fuel prices on a daily basis so as to stay in line with international trend.
Reliance Industries ended 2.2% down after the company announced that it is withdrawing the Summer Special offer it had announced for its Prime subscribers, following the advice of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
Pharma stocks Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (down 3%), Lupin (down 2.6%) and Dr Reddy's Laboratories (down nearly 2%) ended sharply lower. Cipla edged down marginally. Aurobindo Pharma ended 1.7% down, while Divi's Laboratories, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals and Piramal Enterprises declined by 0.5% - 1%. Cadila Healthcare gained more than 1.5%.
Adani Ports declined 2.3%. Infosys, Tata Steel, ICICI Bank, Hindustan Unilever, State Bank of India and Tata Motors ended lower by 1% - 1.7%.
Bank of Baroda ended 3.7% down. Kotak Bank, Indiabulls Housing Finance, ACC, Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Tata Motors DVR and Grasim Industries also ended notably lower.
Bharti Airtel gained nearly 1% after the company said that it has doubled its mobile network deployment over the past two years, in line with its objective of building a future ready network to lead the country's data growth story. Bharti Infratel gained 2.6%.
Tata Consultancy Services gained 1.4%. Bajaj Auto, Eicher Motors, Hero Motocorp and NTPC ended modestly higher.
The market breadth was negative. Out of 3042 stocks traded on BSE, 1640 stocks declined. 1277 stocks advanced and 125 stocks ended flat.
