The Sensex and the Nifty plummeted nearly 1.6 per cent at the closing session on Friday due to heavy capital outflows and weak global cues.

FIIs turned net sellers as government data released yesterday showed that the country’s fiscal deficit was way above the comfort level.

The 30-share BSE index Sensex plunged 414.13 points to end at 25,480.84 and the 50-share NSE index Nifty fell 118.70 points to end at 7,602.60.

All BSE sectoral indices ended significantly in the red. Among them, consumer durables index plunged the most by 3.27 per cent, followed by oil & gas 2.16 per cent, capital goods 1.9 per cent and power 1.84 per cent.

Among 30-share Sensex constituents, Maruti, Bharti Airtel, HUL, ICICI Bank and Hero MotoCorp were the only gainers, while the major losers were Hindalco, GAIL, Tata Power, Cipla and NTPC.

European stocks fell to their lowest level in more than three months as companies, including ArcelorMittal and Vinci SA, reported worse-than-forecast earnings. US stock futures and Asian shares also declined.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell 1.4 per cent to 331.3 at 10:49 a.m. in London.

The benchmark gauge retreated 1.7 per cent in July, for a second straight month of losses, as conflict escalated between Russia and Ukraine. Standard & Poor’s 500 Index futures dropped 0.6 per cent, and the MSCI Asia Pacific Index tumbled 1.1 per cent.

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