Sensex retreats from record level, plunges by 207 points

The BSE benchmark fell by over 200 points, pulling back from its record highs, on heavy profit booking in banking, FMCG, oil and gas, pharma and capital goods stocks after a recent rally.

Offloading of positions by participants with today being the last trading session of October series contracts in the derivatives segment pulled the index back from record levels, a broker said.

The 30-share index opened gap down at 33,025.17 against yesterday's record close of 33,042.50 and quickly raced to a high of 33,074.91.However, the index retreated on emergence of profit booking in recent gainers to touch a low of 32,835.06, down by 207.44 points or 0.62 per cent.

The gauge had gained 659.57 in the previous three



sessions.

Sectoral indices led by consumer durables, power, FMCG, infrastructure and auto stocks were trading in the red, falling up to 0.43 per cent.

The NSE Nifty fell by 21.40 points, or 0.20 per cent, to 10,273.95.

Major losers were HDFC ltd, Asian Paints, HDFC Bank, Hind Unilever and Kotak Bank with losses of up to 1.66 per cent.State-run lenders continued their upward trend as PNB, SBI and Bank of Baroda rose up to 9.68 per cent.

Asian markets were mixed with Hong Kong's Hang Seng dropping 0.15 per cent while Japan's Nikkei moving up by 0.16 per cent in early trade. The Shanghai Composite Index too inched up by 0.18 per cent.

The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.48 per cent lower yesterday.