Sensex down 21 points in early trade

Extending losses for the sixth straight session, the BSE benchmark Sensex today fell over 21 points in early trade due to sustained selling by funds and retail investors amid a weak trend in the Asian region.
The 30-share index, which had lost over 778 points in the previous five sessions, fell by 21.26 points, or 0.11 per cent, to 18,771.61 in early trade, with stocks of IT, realty and oil and gas sectors leading the fall.
Similarly, the wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty shed 3.55 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 5,655.20.
Brokers said besides a weak trend in the Asian region in line with overnight losses on the US markets, continuing worries over the country's political stability dampened the trading sentiment here.

Meanwhile, in Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index declined by 0.28 per cent, while Japan's Nikkei fell 1.34 per cent.
The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.62 per cent lower in yesterday's trade.