Equity markets turned lower on Monday as investors stayed on the sidelines ahead of key retail inflation data due this week. The broader markets suffered deeper losses with the BSE MidCap index falling 2.6 per cent and the BSE SmallCap 3.16 per cent.
Overseas, European stocks were broadly higher on Monday ahead of a busy week packed with earnings, economic data releases and speeches by Federal Reserve officials.
Meanwhile, Oil prices slipped into the red on Monday after climbing 6 percent last week. Whereas, Gold prices inched lower on Monday as the dollar held somewhat steady ahead of a busy week of economic releases and speeches by Federal Reserve officials.
On the corporate front, Tata Steel, ONGC, BPCL, Hero Moto Corp and Coal India fell 3-5 percent in the Nifty pack while HCL Technologies, Wipro, Divis Laboratories, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise and Dr Reddy's Laboratories rallied 2-3 percent.
The 30-share benchmark index closed trading at 71072.49 down by -523 points or by -0.73 % and then NSE Nifty was at 21616.05 down by -166.45 points or by -0.76 %. During the day’s trade, Sensex touched intraday high of 71756.58 and intraday low of 70922.57 The NSE Nifty touched intraday high of 21831.7 and intraday low of 21574.75.
The top gainers of the BSE Sensex pack were Wipro Ltd. (Rs. 501.40,+2.26%), HCL Technologies Ltd. (Rs. 1666.15,+2.09%), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (Rs. 1659.95,+0.80%), Infosys Ltd. (Rs. 1679.80,+0.61%), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (Rs. 1318.10,+0.48%), among others.
The top losers of the BSE Sensex pack were Tata Steel Ltd. (Rs. 137.40,-2.76%), NTPC Ltd. (Rs. 316.05,-2.72%), State Bank of India (Rs. 707.90,-2.26%), IndusInd Bank Ltd. (Rs. 1452.95,-2.20%), ITC Ltd. (Rs. 406.85,-2.11%), among others.
Among the sectors, IT index was at 38552.31 up by 95.48 points or by 0.25%. Control Print Ltd. (Rs. 893.15,+5.59%), 63 Moons Technologies Ltd. (Rs. 459.00,+4.78%), Coforge Ltd. (Rs. 6664.80,+2.53%), Wipro Ltd. (Rs. 501.40,+2.26%), HCL Technologies Ltd. (Rs. 1666.15,+2.09%),.
On the flip side, PSU index was at 17564.28 down by -816.05 points or by -4.44%. SJVN Ltd. (Rs. 112.50,-19.99%), NHPC Ltd. (Rs. 81.03,-15.81%), The New India Assurance Company Ltd. (Rs. 246.90,-15.14%), NLC India Ltd. (Rs. 214.35,-15.11%), General Insurance Corporation of India (Rs. 347.35,-14.41%),.
The Market breadth, indicating the overall strength of the market, was weak. On BSE out of total shares traded 4359 , shares advanced were 1128 while 3106 shares declined and 125 were unchanged.