Sensex pares early gains, trades 136 points down

Mumbai, Jan 28 (PTI) After opening higher, the BSEbenchmark Sensex today slipped by 136 points to trade at18,548.54 at 1015 hrs with selling pressing emerging inrealty, auto and capital goods sector stocks.

Similarly, the broad-based National Stock Exchange indexNifty fell by 47.85 points, or 0.85 per cent, to 5,556.45.

The 30-share index opened the day higher by 36.44 points,or 0.19 per cent, to 18,720.87 points.

Marketmen said a weak trend on Asian bourses dampened thesentiment here and triggered widespread selling. Investorswere also concerned over rising food inflation and a hike inkey interest rates by the Reserve Bank of India, they added.

Food inflation inched up marginally to 15.57 per cent forthe period ended January 15, on account of escalatingvegetable prices, particularly, onions.