In second consecutive fall, Sensex ends 90 points down

A benchmark index of Indian equities market closed Friday's trade down 90.26 points or 0.46 percent, lowest in almost a month. It fell for the second consecutive session over apprehensions that a weak rupee might impact foreign investors.

Sales dipped in auto, banking index (bankex), metal and capital goods stocks. However, IT and technology, media and entertainment (TECK) stocks were the gainers.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,522.31 points, closed at 19,429.23 points, down 90.26 points or 0.46 percent from its previous day's close at 19,519.49 points.

Sensex touched a high of 19,711.55 points and a low of 19,397.51 points in intra-day trade.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) ended 0.36 percent or 21.35 points down at 5,900.05 points.

The S&P BSE bankex dipped 190.26 points, followed by auto index, which went down by 153.60 points, metal index slid 99.94 points and capital goods fell 92.22 points. However, BSE IT index gained 96.31 points and TECK index rose by 26.01 points.

The prominent S&P BSE Sensex gainers were: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), up 3.48 percent at Rs.1,523.10; Dr.Reddy's Lab up 2.82 percent at Rs.2,192.65; Wipro, up 1.67 percent at Rs.335.60; Infosys, up 0.80 percent at Rs.2,446.90; and Tata Power, up 0.57 percent at Rs.88.65.

Among the main losers were: Bharti Airtel, down 2.40 percent at Rs.288.35; Mahindra & Mahindra, down 2.27 percent at Rs.967.05; NTPC, down 2.12 percent at Rs.148.00; and Maruti Suzuki, down 2.04 percent at Rs.1,554.85.