Stocks fall ahead of GDP numbers

The BSE Sensex fell by 185 points in early session today due to losses in realty, power, PSU, metal and infrastructure stocks amid weak Asian cues. Besides, investors were cautious ahead of September quarter GDP data to be released later in the day.

Offloading of positions by participants with today being the last trading session of November series contracts in the derivatives segment pulled down the index, brokers said.

The 30-share flagship index was down 185.24 points, or 0.55 per cent, at 33,417.52 with sectoral indices led by realty and power falling up to 0.88 per cent. The gauge had fallen 121.68 points in the previous two sessions.

The 50-share NSE



Nifty too was quoting lower by 57.50 points, or 0.55 per cent, at 10,303.80.

Weakness in the rupee, which slipped 24 paise to 64.55 against the dollar today, too weighed on the sentiments.

Among laggards Kotak Bank, Cipla, Adani Ports, ONGC, M&M, Reliance Industries, Coal India, Axis Bank, Hind Unilever, Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel, HDFC Ltd, Tata Steel and Lupin dropped up to 1.71 per cent.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng weakened 1.21 per cent while Shanghai Composite lost 0.26 per cent in early trade. Japan's Nikkei too shed 0.10 per cent.

US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.44 per cent higher yesterday.