Mumbai, Oct 28 (IANS) A key index of the Indian equities markets ended trade Wednesday 0.36 percent in the negative after recouping most of its intra-day losses.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 16,335.78 points, shut shop at 16,283.49 points, down 0.43 percent or 69.91 points.

It closed Tuesday at 16,353.4 points.

The S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also in the red at 4,826.15 points, down 0.42 percent from its last close.

Broader market indices ended mixed, with the BSE midcap index rising 0.15 percent but the BSE small cap index closed 0.44 percent lower.

Among the sectors that saw most selling were consumer durables, banking, PSU and auto.

The market breadth was negative with only 1,059 stocks advancing, as many as 1,627 declining and 71 remaining unchanged.

Among the gainers on the Sensex were Bharti Airtel, up 3.42 percent at Rs.317.10; Wipro, up 3.19 percent at Rs.623.45; Tata Motors, up 2.62 percent at Rs.562.10, and Reliance Industries, up 2.28 percent at Rs.2,035.65.

Among the losers were Maruti Suzuki, down 4.47 percent at Rs.1,415.20; Tata Steel, down 3.73 percent at Rs.482.60; HDFC, down 3.23 percent at Rs.2,667, and ICICI Bank, down 3.12 percent at Rs.810.20.

Other major Asian markets were hit by the consolidation sentiment as well.

The Nikkei, a key index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, closed 1.35 percent down at 10,075.05 points.

The primary index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Hang Seng, shut shop 1.84 percent lower at 22,761.58 points.

The South Korean benchmark index, Kospi, also ended in the red at 1,609.71 points, down 39.82 points or 2.41 percent.

However, at the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the composite index ended 0.33 percent up at 3,031.33 points.

European markets were trading in the red with Britain’s FTSE 100 index ruling 1.74 percent lower at 5,110.48 points and its French peer, the CAC 40, being down 1.6 percent at 3,684.16 points.

Germany’s DAX was similarly ruling at 5,546.63 points, down 1.57 percent.