Sensex, Nifty end lower after hitting record high

A benchmark index of Indian equities markets closed Wednesday's trade down 130.44 points or 0.46 percent as metal stocks slumped.

However, the benchmark index touched a new intra-day high of 28,294.01 points, surpassing its previous record of 28,282.85 points hit Tuesday.

Heavy selling pressure were seen in metal, oil and gas, banking, auto and consumer durables sectors, while some marginal good buying was observed in information technology (IT) sector.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 28,193.90 points, closed trading at 28,032.85 points -- down 130.44 points or 0.46 percent -- from the previous day's close at 28,163.29 points.

The Sensex touched a record high of 28,294.01 points and a low of 27,963.51 points in the intra-trade.

The S&P metal index slumped by 244.61 points, oil and gas index dropped by 146.79 points, bankex went down by 131.94 points, auto index fell by 122.73 points and consumer durables index slipped by 120.36 points. However, IT index gained by 22.42 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also closed trade in the negative ending the day lower by 43.60 points or 0.52 percent at 8,382.30 points. It also hit a record high of 8,455.65 points during the day.

The major Sensex gainers were: Dr.Reddy's, up 2.45 percent at Rs.3,514.85; Hindustan Unilever, up 1.19 percent at Rs.760.40; HDFC, up 1.01 percent at Rs.1,116.60; and Bajaj Auto, up 1.01 percent at Rs.2,669.95.

The major Sensex losers were: Tata Steel, down 3.08 percent at Rs.471.45; Sesa Sterlite Limited, down 2.75 percent at Rs.240.25; GAIL, down 2.30 percent at Rs.478.65; and Tata Motors, down 2.29 percent at Rs.528.90.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei index was down 0.32 percent, Shanghai's Composite Index slipped by 0.21 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng dropped by 0.66 percent

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 was down 0.13 percent, while France's CAC 40 was higher by 0.17 percent and Germany's DAX Index gained 0.33 percent.