Sensex slips 188 points, profit-booking takes a toll

Mumbai: The benchmark BSE Sensex fell by over 188 points in early trade on Wednesday due to profit-booking by investors after recent gains amid a lacklustre trade in Asia.

The 30-share barometer fell 188.30 points, or 0.76 per cent, to 24,470.93, with metal, banking, IT, consumer durables, capital goods, PSU and oil and gas falling the most.

The index had gained 1,657.23 points in the last five sessions.

Also, the NSE Nifty dropped 49.85 points, or 0.67 per cent, at 7,435.45.

Brokers said that apart from profit-booking in recent gainers, a weak Asian trend as fresh concerns about global growth driven by weak Chinese trade data hit sentiment here.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was trading lower by 0.62 per cent and Shanghai Composite was down 2.42 per cent in early trade.

Japan’s Nikkei shed 1.59 per cent.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.64 per cent lower in Tuesday’s trade after oil prices fell.

PTI