Sensex down 90 points in early trade

The BSE benchmark Sensex declined by over 90 points in early trade on Wednesday as funds and retail investors indulged in booking profits amid a weak trend in Asian markets.

The 30-share barometer fell by 90.40 points, or 0.43 per cent, to 21,164.86. The index had lost 71.16 points in the previous session.

Stocks of capital goods, banking, PSUs, auto, metal and oil and gas sectors succumbed to profit-booking.

Similarly, the National Stock Exchange index Nifty fell by 27.80 points, or 0.44 per cent, to 6,305.05.

Brokers said increased selling by funds as well as retail investors, mostly of a profit-booking nature amid a weak trend on other Asian bourses, mainly influenced the trading sentiment.

Among other Asian markets, Japan’s Nikkei was down 0.65 per cent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng shed 0.48 per cent in early trade.

The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.33 per cent lower in Tuesday’s trade.