Markets end in red

The Sensex ended with a loss of 43 points (provisional) at 20,017. The NSE Nifty was down 18 points at 5983.
____________________________________________________
(Updated at 1443 hrs)

The benchmark indices are witnessing profit-taking this afternoon after touching fresh five-week highs in the earlier part of the session. Both the benchmark indices have slipped below their respective psychological levels of 20k and 6000k respectively, with the Sensex quoting at 19945, lower by 112 points and the Nifty at 5967, down 33 points. The loss of momentum on the Asian indices such as Hang Seng and Nikkei, and the unenthusing start on the European front seem to have played spoilsport with the stable trend that was being witnessed since the beginning of the trading day.

Maruti has slid by 2.8% at Rs 1389 to top the losers list on the BSE. Hero Honda and Cipla have shed 1.8% each at Rs 1929 and Rs 358 respectively. And index bellweather RIL has weakened by 1.6% at Rs 1053. Information technology stocks are also seeing some pressure after the stellar gains of the recent past that catapulted the IT index to new life-time highs.

Among the stocks to buck the trend, Bharti Airtel has weakened by 2.8% at Rs 342, Jindal Steel has shed 1.4% at Rs 694 and Hindalco has lost 0.9% at Rs 235.

The market breadth has turned even. Out of 3013 stocks traded on the BSE, there are 1432 advancing stocks as against 1465 declines.