NEW DELHI: A stronger rupee pushed benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty higher on Tueday, but the indices could not hold on to the gains amid absence of directional cues from other Asian markets.
At 9:25 am, the BSE Sensex was trading 66 points, or 0.17 per cent, lower at 37,856, with 17 index stocks trading in the black.
The Nifty was ruling 10 points, or 0.09 per cent, lower at 11,428.
A total of 23 index stocks were trading in the green.The domestic currency traded nearly 15 paise up at 72.29 on Tuesday, despite a firming dollar index .
Among Sensex stocks, ITC, HUL, Tata Steel, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Bajaj Auto fell the most.
On the flip side, Infosys, Mahindra Mahindra, Sun Pharma, Adani Ports, Bharti Airtel and Axis Bank advanced up to 1 per cent.Midcap and smallcap indices too were reflecting the sombre mood.
The BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices were nearly flat at 16,222 and 16,726, respectively, around that time.
FMCG and consumer durables were the top losers among sectoral indices on the BSE.
The BSE FMCG fell over 1 per cent, with ITC, HUL, Godrej Consumer Products and Britannia as top losers.