Sensex marks steepest fall in nearly one month

MUMBAI (Reuters) - The BSE Sensex and Nifty fell nearly 2 percent on Monday, marking their steepest fall in nearly one month as most blue-chips declined on worries that retrospective taxation could lead to foreign portfolio outflows.

Fresh fears over the impact of retrospective taxation rattled foreign investors and Indian markets on Monday, traders said, as stocks fell for a fourth consecutive day and the rupee hit its weakest in more than a month.

Foreign investors, key to Indian shares hitting record highs in March, have bought shares worth $6.38 billion in 2015 so far, in addition to $16.2 billion worth of inflows last year.

The BSE Sensex closed 1.95 percent lower, while the broader Nifty fell 1.83 percent, marking their steepest single-day decline since March 26.

A weak start to the Jan-March earnings season with Tata Consultancy Services and Reliance Industries earnings failing to enthuse investors, also weighed on sentiment.

Of 30 BSE index stocks, 28 ended lower while two gained.

(Reporting by Abhishek Vishnoi; Editing by Sunil Nair)