MUMBAI, JUNE 26: After a weak spell, shares led by infotech and others recovered partially at the fag end, helping the benchmark Sensex to recoup part of its initial losses on Monday. The rally was due to late buying support from operators as well as selective purchases by foreign funds and domestic financial institutions (FIs). Sensex closed lower by 52 points. However, stocks of PSUs came under sustained selling pressure and lost ground. MTNL lost by Rs 9.55 to Rs 201.65, BPCL by Rs 17.30 to Rs 196.35, Bhel by Rs 2.50 to Rs 127.95 and HPCL by Rs 4.90 to Rs 134.90. Brokers said the sentiment was weak during the major part mainly due to lack of buying support. Besides the 210-point fall in the technology-high Nasdaq Stock Exchange for two straight sessions last weekend too adversely affected the trading sentiment. Sensex opened substantially lower at 4674.21 and later dipped to the day's low of 4607.58 before staging a recovery during the last 30 minutes to close at 4670.09 with a net loss of 51.61 points or 1.09 per cent compared to last Friday's close of 4721.70. However, the BSE-100 Index improved by 8.97 points to 2372.60 from the previous close of 2363.63. The National Stock Exchange (NSE) Nifty index lost 20.55 points at 1451.65. Operators, who were pressing sales initially, later resorted to sizeable uying in line with short covering on the penultimate day of the current account on the National Stock Exchange (NSE). FIIs reportedly made purchases in select IT scrips like Wipro, SSI, Digital Equipment, Zee Telefilms besides some pharma shares like Pfizer, Burroughs Welcome, Novartis, E Merck and Ranbaxy. FIs too were buyers in the software sector while booking profits in public sector undertakings (PSUs) counters. The telecom bellwether, Himachal Futuristic, was the most active share with a turnover of Rs 525.36 crore in the total business volume of Rs 3316.15 crore and the share price eased by Rs 13.45 to Rs 1488.70. Satyam Computer declined by Rs 26.90 to Rs 2896.05, Global Tele by Rs 93 to Rs 1326.80, Silverline Tech by Rs 11.75 to Rs 484.60, BSES by Rs 5.75 to Rs 253.15, Dr Reddy by Rs 16.45 to Rs 1270.40, HLL by Rs 44.60 to Rs 2761.80, HPCL by Rs 4.90 to Rs 134.90, Infosys Tech by Rs 112.85 to Rs 8089.40, ITC by Rs 18.10 to Rs 721.40, MTNL by Rs 9.55 to Rs 201.65, NIIT by Rs 15.05 to Rs 2160.70, RIL by Rs 3.55 to Rs 330.70 and SBI by Rs 8.85 to Rs 227.55 on selling pressure.
