Sensex falls 85 pts due to profit booking

The benchmark BSE Sensex fell by 85 points while NSE Nifty slumped below the 9,400-mark in early trade on Tuesday due to profit booking by investors. The 30-share barometer declined by 85.17 points, or 0.28%, to 30,485.80 points.

Shares of healthcare, power, realty, PSU, consumer durables, oil&gas and metal were trading in the negative zone, with losses of up to 2.40%. The key BSE index had gained 136.18 points in the last two sessions.

The 50-share Nifty of the National Stock Exchange fell by 39,90 points, or 0.42%, to 9,398.35. Brokers said investors booked profits after recent gains and amid mixed global cues. A weak rupee also dampened sentiment, they said.

Among major Sensex losers, ITC dropped 1.23% after a recent rally. The stock had gained over 6% on Monday.

State Bank of India, Adani Ports, Sun Pharma and Gail fell up to 6%, dragging the index into the negative. In the Asian region, Japan's Nikkei fell 0.12% and China's Shanghai Composite index shed 0.10% in early trade on Tuesday.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng, however, rose by 0.31%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.43% higher in Monday's trade.