NEW DELHI: Domestic markets extended their decline to Friday's session, after tanking over 1 per cent in the previous session, as global markets remained weak amid fresh trade war jitters and growing worries about the health of nonbanking finance companies (NBFCs).
Private banks were the top mood dampeners.The assurance by governor Shaktikanta Das that the RBI will do whatever it takes to ensure stability of the system did little to ease concerns.Global markets were dazed by trade uncertainty and US jobs risks.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan edged 0.04 per cent higher and looked set for another cautious session being up just 0.6 per cent for the week so far.
Japan's Nikkei firmed 0.3 per cent, but South Korea slipped 0.5 per cent.Despite a weak sentiment that gripped equity markets, rupee traded 7 paise higher at 69.19 against the US dollar on account of some selling in American currency by banks and importers.At around 9:30 am, BSE benchmark Sensex was down 193 points or 0.49 per cent at 39,337 while NSE barometer Nifty breached the 11,800 mark and was trading 49 points or 0.41 per cent lower at 11,794.On NSE Nifty, 41 stocks declined and only nine advanced.
Meanwhile, in the 30-pack Sensex, only four stocks gained.IndusInd Bank shed the most, down 2.45 per cent, followed by Sun Pharma, Maruti, Kotak Bank, HUL and Tata Motors.Vedanta was the biggest gainer, up around 1.38 per cent.
SBI, NTPC and Infosys were other gainers, rising half a per cent each.Shares of Indiabulls Real Estate surged 15 per cent to Rs 151 on reports that Blackstone may acquire the promoters' stake in the company.BSE Midcaps and BSE Smallcaps underperformed Sensex, shedding 0.83 per cent and 0.56 per cent respectively.
On the sectoral front, barring barring BSE Metal, all sectors were in the red.
BSE Healthcare was the biggest loser, down 1.37 per cent on account of losses in DRL and Cipla.Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) net sold shares worth Rs 1,448.99 crore on Thursday.
Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) too pulled out Rs 650.84 crore from stocks.