Sensex slips after topping 20,000 mark

Markets pared gains after the Sensex breached the 20,000 mark on profit taking at higher levels

The Sensex breached the 20,000 mark but failed to maintain gains amid profit taking in select financials at higher levels.

At 10:51AM, the 30-share Sensex was down 11 points at 19,891 after touching an intra-day high of 20,035 and the 50-share Nifty was down 8 points at 5,902.

Asian markets were trading mixed. Japanese shares were marginally down amid a stronger yen which weakened after issues over the US Budget and the healthcare funding bill remained unresolved for the third straight day. The Nikkei was down 0.2% at 14,133, Hang Seng slipped 0.5%, Straits Times was marginally up.

The rupee is trading hihger at 61.42, versus Thursday's close of 61.735/745 amid capital inflows and weakness in the dollar.

Capital Goods, Bankex and metal shares were among the top losers.

BSE Auto index was the top gainer among the sectoral indices on the BSE, up 2.2% followed by Realty, Consumer Durables, IT and Bankex.

ICICI Bank, HDFC, SBI were among the top Sensex losers. Others include, ITC, Hindustan Unilever, L&T, BHEL,

Shares of automobiles companies continue at their upward march second day in row after reporting  a better-than-expected monthly sales numbers in September and expectation of near term improvement in volume trajectory led by festive season.

Tata Motors was the top Sensex gainer up 4.5% while M&M, Maruti Suzuki, Hero MotoCorp and Bajaj Auto were up 0.4-2% each.

Other shares that contributed the most to Sensex gains include, TCS, HDFC Bank and Bharti Airtel.

In the broader market, the BSE Mid-cap and Small-cap indices were trading flat.

Market breadth continued to remain positive with 910 gainers and 772 losers on the BSE.