Sensex falls 212 points down for second week

The Sensex ended lower on Friday, marking a second week of declines, as lenders were hit by profit taking, while Bharti Airtel fell after the Central Bureau of Investigation filed charges as part of a probe into alleged corruption in allocation of mobile airwaves.

The market also tracked weak global shares after a Republican proposal to deal with a US fiscal crunch failed to get enough support, deepening uncertainty over the US can avert the 'fiscal cliff' of automatic spending cuts and tax increases set to start January 1. The Sensex fell 1.09 per cent, or 211.92 points, to end at 19,242, marking its biggest single-day percentage fall since October 30, and ending 0.39 per cent lower for the week.

The Nifty shed 1.16 per cent, or 68.70 points, to end at 5,847.70, closing below the psychologically key 5,900 level, also ending down 0.54 per cent for the week.