Sensex, Nifty extend losses amid weak global cues

NEW DELHI: Equity indices extended losses for the third straight session on Monday with the benchmark BSE Sensex falling over 250 points amid weak global cues. In a choopy trade, Sensex lost 272 points or 0.76 per cent to close at 35,470, while the broader NSE Nifty shed 90 points or 0.84 per cent to end at 10,663.

On the 30-share BSE index, Hero MotorCorp, Bajaj Auto, NTPC, HDFC and Vedanta were among the major losers with their stocks sliding as much as 4.27 per cent. On NSE, sub-indices Nifty Metal, Realty and Media tracked heavy losses, down over 2 per cent.

According to experts, global equities were choppy as a partial US government shutdown that entered was set to stretch through Christmas, after Congress adjourned for the weekend with no deal in sight to end an impasse over funding for President Donald Trump's wall on the US-Mexico border.

Also, investors are nervous after reports emerged that Trump privately asked cabinet members if he had the authority to fire Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell after interest rates were increased and the stock market tanked.

(With PTI inputs)