Sensex down 249 points; healthcare stocks decline

A benchmark index of the Indian equities markets, the 30-scrip BSE Sensitive Index (Sensex), was trading in the red in the late-afternoon session on Thursday. It was down 249 points or 0.86 percent.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also trading in the red. It was down 85.05 points or 0.97 percent at 8,665.15 points.

The Sensex of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 28,876.23 points, was trading at 28,550.90 points (at 2.35 p.m.) in the late-afternoon session, down 248.79 points or 0.86 percent from the previous day's close at 28,799.69 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 28,876.23 points and a low of 28,497.70 points in the intra-day trade so far.

The S&P BSE midcap was down 128.04 points. The S&P BSE smallcap was trading lower by 140.61 points.

According to Angel Broking, the Indian markets opened in the positive territory tracking the SGX Nifty and most of its Asian peers.

"The markets were weighed down (Wednesday) by IT majors on concerns that the appreciating rupee could hurt revenues while private banks pared early gains on profit bookings in the later part of the trade," the brokerage firm said.

Sectors like healthcare, capital goods, information technology (IT), consumer durables, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and automobile came under heavy selling pressure.

However, oil and gas index made gains during the late-afternoon trade session.

The S&P BSE healthcare index was down 306.12 points followed by capital goods index which was lower by 294.22 points, IT index lost 173.97 points, consumer durables index fell 134.31 points, FMCG index receded 108.16 points and automobile index was down 101.10 points.

However, the S&P BSE oil and gas index was higher by 69.45 points.