Sensex opens lower by 46 points on profit-selling

The benchmark Sensex on Tuesday opened lower by over 42 points due to profit-booking by funds in select blue-chips stocks.
    
The 30-share Bombay Stock Exchange barometer, which rose in last three straight sessions, fell by 42.14 points to 8,901.40 points in the first five minutes of trading as heavyweights, such as Reliance Industries, Infosys Technology and Tata Consultancy, fell sharply.
    
The wide-based National Stock Exchange's Nifty fell by 9.90 points to 2,767.35 points at the same time.
    
Marketmen said profit booking  by funds at existing higher levels mainly pulled down market.
    
However, interest buying in realty and banking shares capped the market losses to some extent, they added.
    
Meanwhile, other Asian stock markets were trading in the positive territory. Hong Kong shares rose by 0.6 per cent in the morning trade.

China's benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was up 28.65 points at 2,181.94, while in Tokyo, the Nikkei-225 index spurted by 114.67 points to 7,818.82 by afternoon.

Last night, the US stocks, however, snapped a four-day gaining streak with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling marginally by 7.01 points, or 0.10 per cent, to close at 7,216.97.