Sensex ends 34 points lower; auto, Oil & gas drag

The domestic markets took a breather after rallying smartly in the last two sessions owing to profit booking.

Major headlines

Hindalco Inds falls as FY11 cons net profit dips

NALCO gains after posting FY11 results

Hindustan Dorr plunges on disappointing Q4 results



Indian indices

The Indian markets took a halt in todays trade after the short pullback rally which began last Thursday. Auto and oil & gas stocks were among the major loosers. Buying in healthcare, consumer durables and realty shares helped markets to trim losses to a major extent. The markets had registered some gains in the morning trade but failed to sustain the positive trend as it swung between positive and negative zone.

The Sensex began the session 54 points higher at 18320, soon hitting the day's high at 18380 and after few hours of trade entered in to the negative zone, hitting the day's low of 18200. The index witnessed a sloppy session in line with peers and as traders booked profits after the run-up in last two sessions. However, healthcare, consumer durables and realty stocks kept the sentiments in control. Gains were short-lived as the index slipped in to red. The Sensex closed at 18232, fell by 34 points and the Nifty settled at 5473, down by 3 points.

Market sentiment

The market breadth stood in favour of advances as 1,629 stocks advanced and 1,150 tumbled. However, 122 stocks remained unchanged.

Viewing volumes

An infrastructure firm - Lanco Infratech was traded the most, with over 0.47 crore shares changing hands on the BSE. It was followed by India's second largest real estate developer - Unitech (0.45 crore shares), India's No. 2 mobile carrier - Reliance Communications (0.31 crore shares), wind turbine major - Suzlon Energy (0.15 crore shares) and a leading housing finance company - LIC Housing Finance (0.15 crore shares).

Sectoral & stock screening

BSE Auto was the biggest loser falling by 1.50%, followed by BSE Oil & Gas down by 0.64% and BSE Capital Goods (CG) slipped by 0.30%. On the gainers' side, BSE Healthcare (HC) went up by 2.24%, followed by BSE Consumer Durables (CD) rose by 2.01% and BSE Realty surged by 1.77%.

Among the 'A' group shares, top three gainers were Patni Computer Systems surged by 8.90%, National Aluminium Co. rose by 6.65% and Godrej Consumer Products up by 5.92%. Top three losers were Mahindra & Mahindra declined by 5.34%, Cairn India down by 2.58% and United Phosphorus slipped by 2.41%.

Global signals

The European markets inched up on Monday in holiday-thinned trade, with gains limited as German utilities dropped on a government decision to shut all the country's nuclear reactors by 2022. UK's FTSE 100 index is shut today.

The Asian markets ended on a mixed note. Japan's Nikkei edged down 0.18% in the lowest volume of the year on Monday.

The markets in the US are closed on Monday on account of the Memorial Day holiday.