Mumbai, Jan 20 (FN Agency) The BSE Sensex remained negative for a third straight session on Thursday as it tumbled down 634.20 points, below 60k to 59,464.62 following heavy selling in technology, energy as well as healthcare stocks amid a positive Asian market. The Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) too declined 184.40 points at 17,757. The equity market was under pressure throughout the day as it opened weak at 60,045.48, falling 53 points. During the session, it slumped nearly 1,030 poimts at 59,068.31, the day’s low, before closing at 59,464.62, down 634.20 points from its previous close. The Sensex registered the day’s high and low at 60,045.48 and 59,068.31 respectively. The Nifty recorded the day’s high and low at 17,943.70 and 17,648.45 respectively. FII selling, rising US bond yields and rising oil prices spooked the market. Sectoral indices like technology, energy, healthcare, FMCG and oil and gas stocks kept the market low. In scrips, Bajaj Finserv shed 4.58 per cemt to Rs 17,259.95 — a major loser in the 30 scrips of BSE.
Other losers were Infosys by 2.23 per cent to Rs 1,826, TCS by 2.09 per cent to Rs 3,834, HCL Technology by 1.97 per cent to Rs 1,175.50 and Hind Unilever by 1.93 per cent to Rs 2,266.15. The gainers were Powergrid by 4.86 per cent to Rs 214.60, Bharti Airtel by 1.91 per cent to Rs 717.50, Asian Paints by 0.59 per cent to Rs 3,300.55, Maruti Suzuki by 0.46 per cent to Rs 8,045.10 and ICICI Bank by 0.39 per cent to Rs 811.50. The Mid Cap declined by 0.07 per cent while Small Cap rose by 0.05 per cent. In 30 scrips, 22 declined and 8 rose. Oil prices are in spurt for a month now, crossing the $88 a barrel-mark and hitting its highest level in seven years amid a bleak supply outlook. Even, high international prices are fuelling inflation worries and risks of widening the country’s current account deficit.