Equity indices fall on profit booking, COVID concerns; oil stocks down

NEW DELHI: Profit booking subdued India's key equity indices — S&P BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty50 — during Friday's post-noon trade session. The key indices rose in the first few minutes of the day's trade, but soon ceded gains and later went into the negative territory as recent upsurges triggered a bout of profit booking.

Globally, stocks were mostly higher in Asia on Friday after a broad rally on Wall Street. Similarly, European shares opened firmer.

On the domestic front, volumes were a bit higher than the previous two sessions.

Sector-wise, capital goods were the main gainers, whereas oil and gas, bank, auto, IT, healthcare and FMCG indices lost the most.

Consequently, the S&P BSE Sensex traded at 57,696.46 points, down 1.31 per cent from its previous close of 58,461.29 points.

The broader 50-scrip Nifty at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) traded in the red, down 1.18 per cent to 17,196.70 points.

"Nifty corrected after rising for two days, going against the global trend. The advance decline ratio, however, remained in the positive," said Deepak Jasani, Head of Retail Research at HDFC Securities. (IANS)

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