Sensex opens weak at 37 points

Mumbai, Oct 9: The Bombay Stock Exchange Sensitive Index (Sensex) opened 37 points in the red with apprehensions in the Asian markets about North Korea's nuclear test and its possible ramifications.

North Korean Central News Agency today announced the underground nuclear testing.

The key benchmark indices in Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore were down between 1.1 per cent to 2.4 per cent. However, the Japanese and Taiwanese markets were closed.

Currently, the Sensex is trading 42 points down at 12,330.51 compared to the previous close of 12,372.81.

Meanwhile, the US crude rose by 71 cents to touch USD 60.47 per barrel ahead of a formal deal by OPEC to cut crude oil output by one million barrels a day.

Amongst the BSE sectoral indices, Oil and Gas was down 0.50 per cent, while Teck was down 0.42 per cent and IT was down 0.23 per cent.

Major gainers on the BSE-30 index included Grasim Industries up by 1.16 per cent, followed by ACC, Gujarat Ambuja, Cipla, TCS, Maruti Udyog, HLL, Hindalco and Hero Honda all up between 0.09 to 0.62 per cent.

The losers included Satyam Computers down by 49.98 per cent, followed by Reliance Communications, HDFC, Reliance Energy, Tata Steel, L&T, Bharti Airtel, Reliance Industries, BHEL and HDFC Bank -- all down between 0.45 to 1.70 per cent.

UNI