Sensex opens 44 pts down on profit-booking, Nifty below 7,700

The benchmark Sensex fell almost 44 points and the NSE Nifty slipped below the 7,700-mark in early trade today following profit-booking by investors after recent gains amid mixed Asian cues.

The 30-share barometer declined 43.81 points, or 0.17 per cent, to 25,241.56, with IT, banking, technology, FMCG, and infrastructure stocks taking a big knock.

The index had gained 608 points in the last two sessions on increasing prospects of a lower policy rate and sustained foreign fund inflows.

Also, the NSE Nifty cracked below the 7,700-mark by falling 31.30 points, or 0.41 per cent, at 7,672.95.

Brokers said that apart from profit-booking in recent gainers, mixed trend in other Asian bourses influenced sentiment.
 

In the Asian region, Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 0.37 per cent while China's Shanghai Composite index was down 0.41 per cent in early trade today. Japan's Nikkei rose 2.01 per cent.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.12 per cent higher in yesterday's trade.