Mumbai, Dec 2 (IANS) A key index of Indian equities markets closed marginally in the red Wednesday as investors turned to profit-booking despite strong sentiments in other Asian bourses.
The sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened higher at 17,226.49 points, closed at 17,169.91 points, 28.36 points or 0.16 percent down from Tuesday’s close at 17,198.27 points.

The benchmark index had soared 132 points to 17,329.68 soon after commencing trade, but shed its gains on lack of buying interest.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), however, the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty closed marginally in the green at 5,123.25 points, up 0.02 percent.

Broader market indices also ended positive, with the BSE midcap index closing 0.9 percent higher and the BSE small cap index 0.87 percent up.

Among the major gainers on the Sensex were Tata Motors, up 4.14 percent; DLF, up 3.69 percent; Maruti Suzuki, up 1.54 percent and HDFC Bank, up 0.92 percent.

The major losers were Sun Pharma, down 2.82 percent; HDFC, down 1.9 percent; Reliance Infra, down 1.87 percent and Hindustan Unilever, down 1.39 percent.

The market breadth was positive, with 1,518 stocks advancing, 1,241 declining and 112 remaining unchanged.

All major Asian markets ended in the green.

A key Japanese index, the Nikkei, closed 36.74 points higher at 9,608.94 points.

The Hang Seng, a benchmark index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, ended at 22,289.57 points, up 176 points.

In China, the Shanghai composite index also closed higher at 3269.75 points, 1.06 percent up.

European markets, however, were trading marginally in the red.

A key index of the London Stock Exchange, the FTSE 100 index, was ruling 24.73 points down at 5,287.44 points.

The French index, CAC 40, was at 3,768.2 points, down 0.2 percent, while its German peer, the DAX was trading 20.71 points lower at 5,755.9 points.