Sensex slips to two-month low on factory, retail inflation numbers

A benchmark index of Indian equities market hit a two-month low Wednesday, closing 0.53 percent or 101 points down on lower-than-expected industrial production for April and higher-than-expected May consumer price inflation data.

There was heavy selling pressure in stocks like consumer durables, metal and IT, while oil and gas and healthcare stocks inched up.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,103.96 points, closed at 19,041.13 points, down 101.87 points or 0.53 percent from its previous day's close at 19,143.00 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 19,143.24 points and a low of 18969.08 points in intra-day trade.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) ended 0.29 percent or 17.05 points down at 5,771.75 points.

The S&P BSE consumer durables index tanked 498.83 points, metal index dipped 139.25 points and IT index slid 89.52 points; while healthcare index moved up by 39.81 points and oil and gas index inched up by 37.65 points.

The prominent Sensex gainers were: Jindal Steel, up 3.80 percent at Rs.234.95; Cipla, up 1 percent at Rs.384.15; and Mahindra & Mahindra, up 0.78 percent at Rs.953.90.

The prominent Sensex losers were: Tata Power, down 3.03 percent at Rs.80.05; Coal India, down 2.69 percent at Rs.303.30; Tata Steel, down 2.61 percent at Rs.274.15; Hindalco Industries, down 2.27 percent at Rs.92.40; and Bajaj Auto, down 2.19 percent at Rs.1,744.15.