Sensex ends 216 pts lower; IT stocks fall

Market benchmark Sensex dropped 216 points on Friday, dragged by losses in index-heavyweights Infosys, TCS and HDFC Bank.

After trading on a weak note through the day, the 30-share index ended 215.76 points, or 0.53 per cent, lower at 40,359.41. It hit an intra-day low of 40,276.83 and a high of 40,653.17.

Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty settled 54 points, or 0.45 per cent, down at 11,914.40.

Infosys was the top loser in the Sensex pack, dropping 2.89 per cent, followed by TCS, Asian Paints, Bharti Airtel and HCL Tech.

On the other hand, Tata Steel gained 3.74 per cent, NTPC 2.35 per cent, Vedanta 2.27 per cent and ONGC 2.18 per cent.

IT stocks led the fall in the market amid reports of changes in US work visa requirements aimed at protecting American workers, traders said.

Elsewhere in Asia, bourses in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul settled in the green, while Shanghai finished on a negative note.

European equities were also trading on a positive note in their respective early deals.

Meanwhile, the Indian rupee depreciated marginally to 71.79 against the US dollar in intra-day trade.

Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, dipped 0.03 per cent to USD 63.95 per barrel.