The Sensex and Nifty opened lower today amid negative global markets after Beijing lowered its growth forecasts for this year and announced massive tax cuts to support the Chinese economy.  While the Sensex fell 15 points to 36,048 in early trade, the Nifty lost 5 points to 10,857.

Tata Steel (1.24%), Tata  Motors (1.47%) and Sun Pharma (0.98%) were the top Sensex gainers.

Of 30 Sensex stocks,18 were trading in the green .

Top Sensex losers were L&T  (0.93%), Infosys (0.68 %) and M&M (0.55%).

On Friday, the Sensex settled 196.37 points, or 0.55 per cent, higher at 36,063.81.The Nifty closed at 10,863.50, up 71 points, or 0.66 per cent.

Meanwhile, the mid cap and small cap indices were trading 97 points and 152 points higher in early trade.

Metal, consumer durables stocks led the gains with the BSE metal and BSE consumer durables indices rising 144 points and 88 points, respectively.

Of 19 BSE indices, 15  were trading in the green. IT stocks were the top sectoral losers on the BSE .

Meanwhile, the rupee opened marginally lower at 70.94 per dollar from its last close of 70.90 .

Market breadth was positive with 1278 stocks trading higher compared to 403 falling on the BSE. On a net basis, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net of Rs 198 crore on Friday, and domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 117 crore, provisional data available with BSE showed.

Edited by Aseem Thapliyal