Sensex down 339 points; auto stocks plunge

A day after it rebounded around 400 points, a benchmark index of Indian equities markets Friday provisionally fell 339 points or 1.28 percent, as automobile, metal and bank stocks plunged.

Heavy selling pressure was observed in capital goods, fast moving consumer durables (FMCG), consumer durable, oil and gas and healthcare stocks.

However, healthy buying was observed in information technology (IT) and technology, entertainment and media (TECK) scrip on the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the S&P BSE, which opened at 26,551.74 points, closed at 26,297.38 points (provisionally), down 339.90 points or 1.28 percent from the previous day's close at 26,637.28 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 26,555.92 points and a low of 26,261.61 points in the intra-trade.

The S&P BSE automobile index was down 495.68 points, followed by metal index which was lower by 469.05 points. Bank index lost 323.63 points, capital goods index decreased by 210.78 points, consumer durable index fell 93.40 points and oil and gas index moved down by 56.68 points.

However, IT index was up 239.36 points, followed by TECK index index which gained 68.37 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also closed in red. It fell 100.60 points or 1.26 percent at 7,859.95 points.