Sensex closes in red; oil and gas stocks slump (Roundup)

A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Thursday closed trade 68.26 points, or 0.24 percent, down as oil and gas, bank and metal stocks declined.

However, healthy buying was observed in information technology (IT), healthcare and technology, entertainment and media (TECK) stocks.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 28,048.56 points, closed trade at 27,940.64 points, down 68.26 points or 0.24 percent from the previous day's close at 28,008.90 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 28,098.74 points and a low of 27,822.70 points in the intra-trade.

The S&P oil and gas index lost 177.52 points, bank index moved down by 142.30 points and metal index dropped 85.70 points. However, IT index rose by 106.11 points, healthcare index was up 83.15 points and TECK index gained 44.02 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also closed in red. It was down 25.45 points or 0.30 percent at 8,357.85 points.

The major Sensex gainers were: Infosys, up 1.77 percent at Rs.4,181.10; DrReddy, up 1.01 percent at Rs.3,475.90; Cipla, up 0.91 percent at Rs.624.15; Wipro, up 0.69 percent at Rs.558.60; and Bharti Airtel, up 0.68 percent at Rs.389.80.

The major Sensex losers were: Sesa Sterlite, down 2.50 percent at Rs.235.80; Tata Power, down 2.47 percent at Rs.88.75; ONGC, down 2.03 percent at Rs.385.45; Gail India, down 1.58 percent at Rs.477.15; and Axis Bank, down 1.49 percent at Rs.473.75.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei index was up 1.14 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.34 percent, while Shanghai's Composite Index slipped 0.31 percent.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 was up 0.35 percent, while France's CAC 40 was higher by 0.51 percent, and Germany's DAX Index gained 0.84 percent.