The BSE benchmark Sensex ended down 47.79 points or 0.16% at 29,413.66, after having declined to a low of 29,363.28 early on in the session. The Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange, which declined to a low of 9120.25 in early trades, ended at 9139.30, losing 11.50 points or 0.13%.

In the forex market, the rupee was trading at 64.41 against the U.S. dollar around late afternoon, after having strengthened to 64.29 a dollar earlier in the session. On Friday, the rupee had ended at 64.42 a dollar.

Metal and power stocks traded weak. Telecom stocks too were mostly subdued. Capital goods, automobile, bank,, information technology, FMCG, oil and healthcare stocks turned in a mixed performance. Realty stocks, particularly Indiabulls Real Estate, had a good outing.Activity was stock specific in midcap and smallcap segments.

NTPC shed about 3.3%. According to reports, the government has cleared the sale of stakes in multiple state-owned companies. It will be offloading 10% stake each in PFC, SAIL, NTPC & NHPC, 5% in REC, 15% in NLC India, and 3% in IOC via offer for sale. Shares of Power Finance Corporation,NHPC, REC, SAIL and NLC also ended lower, while Indian Oil Corporation is modestly higher.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries ended more than 2% down on reports that the USFDA issued some observations after inspecting the company's facility at Dadra.

Asian Paints and Coal India declined by about 1.8%. ONGC, Lupin, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hindustan Unilever, Tata Motors, Infosys and Wipro ended lower by 0.5% - 1.2%.

Bharti Infratel declined 3.2%. Bosch ended 2.6% down and Tech Mahindra eased by about 1.8%. Aurobindo Pharma, Hindalco, BPCL and Tata Power also ended lower, albeit with less pronounced losses.

GAIL India moved up 3.7%. Reliance Industries gained nearly 2%. Power Grid Corporation ended 1.3% up. Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Bajaj Auto and Maruti Suzuki posted modest gains.

Grasim Industries gained 2.35%. Indiabulls Housing Finance ended 1.75% up. Kotak Mahindra Bank, ACC, Ambuja Cements and Indian Oil Corporation ended modestly higher.

Indiabulls Real Estate soared 42%, accompanied by huge volumes. The stock flared up following the Company's Board considering the possibility of streamlining its existing ‘residential', ‘commercial' and ‘leasing' businesses by segregating ‘commercial & leasing' business carried on by itself and/or through its SPVs and vesting the same into ‘Indiabulls Commercial Assets Ltd' (ICAL) and restructuring/reorganizing its businesses.

The company plans to do this exercise by either restructuring by way of placing ICAL as a separate holding co under the Company to hold its assets and investments relating to ‘commercial & leasing' business segment and to undertake the business & operations of ‘commercial & leasing' business segment and/or explore opportunities to bring in strategic investments or by reorganizing its existing businesses by way of a demerger of the undertakings, business, activities & operations pertaining to its commercial & leasing business segments. Indiabulls Real Estates Limited believes that this exercise will help bring greater focus on each of the said business segments of the company.

Unichem Laboratories rallied sharply after the company announced that it has received ANDA approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration for Piroxicam Capsules USP 10mg & 20 mg. Shares of DCB Bank declined on weak results.

The market breadth was even. Out of 3089 stocks traded on BSE, 1478 stocks advanced. 1412 stocks declined and 199 stocks ended flat.