The BSE benchmark Sensex fell by almost 44 points in early trade today as funds and retail investors preferred to book profits after yesterday’s gains. The 30-share barometer, which gained 74.53 points in the last session, moved down by 43.58 points, or 0.24 per cent, to 18,461.80 with stocks of FMCG, oil and gas, and metal sectors leading the fall.

Similarly, the wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty shed 10.70 points, or 0.19 per cent, to 5,609. Brokers said besides profit-booking by speculators, a mixed trend at the Asian markets following overnight losses at European and the US markets, influenced the sentiments.

In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei Index gained 0.08 per cent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index shed 0.31 per cent in early trade today. In the US market, which resumed after a two-day shutdown forced by superstorm Sandy, Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.08 per cent lower in yesterday’s trade.

GLOBAL MARKETS ROUND UP

Nifty futures on the Singapore Exchange fell 0.02 percent. The MSCI-Asia Pacific index excluding Japan is down 0.16 percent. The U.S. stock market slowly returned to life on Wednesday after two days in the dark, with the Dow and the S&P 500 ending little changed while the Nasdaq Composite edged lower in a session with slightly less than average volume.

Asian shares fell on Thursday as China’s official and private sector manufacturing PMIs confirmed a recovering growth trend, but failed to convince investors the slowdown was bottoming out.

At 9:27AM BSE SENSEX was at 18505.38 up by 74.53 points or by 0.4 % and then NSE Nifty was at 5609.85 down by 9.85 points or by 0.18 %. The BSE MIDCAP was at 6565.99 up by 57.35 points or by 0.88 %, while the BSE SMLCAP was at 6989.17 up by 34.43 points or by 0.5 %. Besides, investors will closely watch HSBC India Manufacturing PMI data for the month of October scheduled to come later today.

The Market breadth, indicating the overall strength of the market, was weak. On BSE out of total shares traded 1203, shares advanced were 701 while 444 shares declined and 58 were unchanged. The top losers of the BSE Sensex pack were Reliance Industries Ltd. (Rs. 790.00,1.89%), Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (Rs. 537.60,1.80%), Oil And Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (Rs. 265.85,0.91%), Tata Power Company Ltd. (Rs. 105.30,0.61%), Infosys Ltd. (Rs. 2349.00,0.61%), among others.

In BSE, BSE_CGS index was at 10864.04 down by 40.5 points or by 0.37%. Crompton Greaves Ltd. (Rs. 123.90,0.88%), Jindal Saw Ltd. (Rs. 113.50,0.44%), Praj Industries Ltd. (Rs. 45.00,0.33%), Alstom T&D India Ltd. (Rs. 203.00,0.07%). In BSE, BSE Oil&Gas index was at 8355.03 down by 25.06 points or by 0.3%. Reliance Industries Ltd. (Rs. 790.00,1.89%), Oil And Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (Rs. 265.85,0.91%), Cairn India Ltd. (Rs. 334.90,0.51%), GAIL (India) Ltd. (Rs. 347.30,0.43%), Gujarat State Petronet Ltd. (Rs. 75.10,0.33%).