Sensex ends down 61pts

The Sensex has ended (provisional) at 17,340 - down 61 points.

The Nifty has ended (provisional) at 5,168 - down 20 points.
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(Updated at 1421 hrs)

The Sensex is down two points at 17,399, and the Nifty is down three points at 5,185.
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(Updated at 1335 hrs)

The markets have been trading in a lacklustre manner in the past one hour. The Sensex is now quoting at 17,366, down 35 points, and the Nifty is at 5175, lower by 12 points.

Hero Honda is the top loser on the BSE, weakening by Rs 35 or 2% to Rs 1,708. Sun Pharma has dropped by Rs 25 or 1.6% at Rs 1512 and HDFC Bank has slipped by Rs 17 or 1% to Rs 1,680.

NTPC, Tata Steel and ITC are the other prominent draggers on the indices.

On he other hand, Reliance Infrastructure (stronger by Rs 22 or 1.9% at Rs 1,153), ACC (higher by Rs 14 or 1.7% at Rs 874) and Grasim (up Rs 27 or 1.1% at Rs 2453) have built on their recent gains.

The market breadth is positive. Out of 2,830 stocks traded on the BSE, 1,767 have advanced and 971 have declined.