Indian markets shed over 0.2 per cent at the end of the session on Monday on emergence of fresh selling pressure in healthcare, consumer durables, banking and oil & gas stocks amid firm global cues.

The 30-share BSE index Sensex was down 50.15 points (0.25 per cent) at 20,235.97 and the 50-share NSE index Nifty was down 25.55 points (0.41 per cent) at 6,161.75.

Barring auto, IT and TECk, all other BSE sectoral indices ended in the red.

Auto index was up 0.83 per cent, followed by IT 0.67 per cent and TECk 0.25 per cent. On the other hand, healthcare index was down 1.96 per cent, followed by consumer durables 1.36 per cent, banking 0.83 per cent and oil & gas 0.83 per cent.

Among 30-share Sensex, Maruti (up 1.9 per cent), M&M (+1.83 per cent), Bajaj Auto (+1.7 per cent), Tata Steel (+1.07 per cent) and Coal India (+1.06 per cent) were the top five gainers, while the top five losers were Bharti Airtel (down 2.42 per cent), ONGC (-2.09 per cent), Cipla (-1.71 per cent), Wipro (-1.7 per cent) and ICICI Bank (-1.62 per cent).

European stocks pared gains and US index futures were little changed. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index gained 1.4 per cent to 144.44, which would be its highest close since June 2008 on signs of an improving global economy.

The yen rebounded from the lowest level since October 2008, while silver slumped to the cheapest in more than two years.

US consumer sentiment rose to its strongest in nearly six years in early May, while a gauge of future economic activity rose to a near five-year high in April.

Financial markets are waiting for further news on US home sales, durable goods orders and personal consumption this week, as well as a testimony on Wednesday by US Fed chief Ben Bernanke before the Joint Economic Committee of the US Congress.

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