BSE Sensex ends 91.15 points down

Mumbai, Apr 30: The Sensex today ended in the red, down by 91.15 points, to close at 17,287.31 on the Bombay Stock Exchange on profit booking at the higher level in anticipation of the US federal Reserve's policy. Profit taking pulled the market lower in choppy trade. Traders booked profit ahead of the outcome of the US Federal Reserve's policy meeting later in the day. The market breadth turned negative in late trade in contrast to a strong breadth earlier in the day.

Banking and realty stocks declined even as auto stocks rose. Consumer durables stocks fell. IT and FMCG stocks were up, while Oil &gas majors declined. European markets, which opened after Indian markets, were in red. The Sensex hit a high of 17,480.70 in early trade. At the day's high, it rose 102.24 points. Sensex hit a low of 17,241.88 in late trade. At day's low, Sensex lost 136.58 points.

The broader based S&P CNX Nifty index of NSE was down by 29.60 points or 0.57 pc at 5,165.90 at the end of the session from its last close of 5195.50.

Marketmen expect the Fed to cut interest rates by 25 basis points to 2 per cent and then signal that its rate-cutting cycle may be over for now in the face of mounting global energy and food inflation pressure.

The stock market will remain closed tomorrow on account of Maharashtra Day.

Good Q4 results and firm global markets, triggered a solid rebound in the Indian market over the past few days. Buying by domestic institutions has supported the market.

The market breadth turned negative on BSE today with 1284 shares advancing as compared to 1420 that declined. 76 remained unchanged.

The BSE Mid-Cap index was down 0.17 pc to 7,134.79 and BSE Small-Cap index was also down 0.3 pc to 8,759.13.

Asian markets were mixed today. Key benchmark indices in China, South Korea, and Taiwan were up between 0.32 pc to 4.82 pc. Key benchmark indices from Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore were down between 0.3 to 0.6 pc. European markets were in the red. France's CAC 40, Germany's DAX and UK's FTSE 100 fell between 0.38 pc to 0.73, which affected downward trend at the Indian bources, brokers said.

India's largest private sector firm by market capitalisation and oil refiner Reliance Industries declined by 1.65 pc to Rs 2609.10. Consumer Durables stocks also tumbled. Titan Industries was down by 5.6 pc to Rs 1,229.95, followed by Lloyd Electric by 0.13 pc to Rs 114.

Videocon Industries declined by 2.25 pc to Rs 371.70. The company's net profit rose 8.55 per cent to Rs 251.22 crore on 15.69 per cent rise in total income to Rs 2538.78 crore in Q4 March 2008 over Q4 March 2007.

Realty stocks drifted lower as DLF eased by 3.15 pc to Rs 703, Unitech eased by 2.11 pc to Rs 310.80 and Indiabulls Real Estate came down by 2.22 pc to Rs 545.

Banking stocks stocks, ICICI Bank was down by 2.36 pc to Rs 879.65 followed by HDFC Bank by 2.2 pc to Rs 1,513.50, State Bank of India by 0.64 to Rs 1,776.35 edged lower. India's largest motorbike maker by market share Hero Honda Motor declined by 1.61 pc to Rs 848.

Grasim Industries was down by 2.81 pc to Rs 2,402.75 followed by Hindalco Industries by 2.32 pc to Rs 193.60, ACC by 2.15 pc to Rs 758.65, Ranbaxy Laboratories by 0.99 pc to Rs 480.085.

India's largest dedicated housing finance firm by operating income HDFC declined 2.66 per cent to Rs 2,804.80. The company's net profit rose 39.64 pc to Rs 768.12 crore on 33.82 pc rise in total income to Rs 2,320.21 crore in Q4 March 2008 over Q4 March 2007.

However, among few stocks in limelight in FMCG stocks segments were ITC, that was up by 3.61 pc to Rs 219.80, Tata Tea gained by 4.1 pc to Rs 916. Auto stocks group, Mahindra&Mahindra was up by 4.31 pc to Rs 670.40 followed by Maruti Suzuki India by 1.45 pc to Rs 741.90, Tata Motors by 3.48 pc to Rs 662.20.

IT stocks segments as Wipro was up by 1.96 pc to Rs 488.60, Infosys gained by 0.17 pc to Rs 1,753.75, Tata Consultancy Services rose by 0.96 pc to Rs 919.55 and Satyam Computer Services moved up by 0.59 pc to Rs 482.20.

Jaiprakash Associates rose by 1.95 pc to Rs 271.30, Bharat Heavy Electricals rose by 0.27 per cent to Rs 1,897.

India's largest telecom services provider by sales Reliance Communications rose by 0.88 pc to Rs 579.75. The company's consolidated net profit rose 70.5 pc to Rs 5401.14 crore on 31.79 pc rise in total income to Rs 19067.76 crore in the year ended March 2008 over March 2007. NTPC rose by 1.08 pc to Rs 196.75. Nicholas Piramal India gained by 0.17 pc to Rs 346.40 after it signed product development&licensing agreement with DxTech for point-of-care diagnostic testing system, brokers added.

UNI