The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex today closed nearly ten points lower at 17,550.63, as investors reduced their holdings in consumer goods’ stocks on fears that a below normal monsoon would affect rural income and thereby the spending on such goods.

The Bombay Stock Exchange index Sensex, which had risen 118 points before paring off its gains in a choppy trade today, settled marginally lower on monsoon fears amid a mixed trend overseas.

However, the broad-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty edged up 2.45 points to 5,278.30, after moving in the range of 5,310.50 and 5,262.50.

Brokers said the consumer durables sector lost the most as less rains would impact farm output and consequentially the purchasing power from rural areas, besides slowing down the overall economic growth.

“Less rains may reduce farm output and reduce the demand for households items such as fridge, two-wheelers and tractors by the people living in rural areas,” said Delhi-based broker Mr Manoj Choraria.

Consumer durables index shed 3.83 per cent to 6,389.87 with the FMCG giant Hindustan Unilever losing 3.42 per cent, Titan Industries 6.23 per cent and Blue Star 2.85 per cent.

Market leader Reliance Industries (RIL) fell by Rs 2.40 to Rs 846.10. However, IT bellwhether Infosys, which gets nearly 20 per cent of its revenue from Europe, rose 0.79 per cent after Greece rescue became tangible, with the country passing the austere deficit-cut proposals in Parliament.

BHEL, Bajaj Auto, Cipla, M&M, L&T, Tata Power and Wipro were among other gainers, while Maruti Suzuki, Hero Honda, Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel, Tata Consultancy, Reliance Infra, State Bank of India and Jindal Steel were among the losers.

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