Sensex Falls 355 Points, Nifty Settles Below 15,650 Dragged By Banks

Selling pressure was broad-based as all the 11 sector gauges, barring the index of FMCG shares, ended lower.

The Indian equity benchmark indices fell for the second straight session on Tuesday, led by selling pressure in banking, metal and financial services. The Sensex fell as much as 540 points at the lowest point of the day and Nifty 50 index briefly fell below its important psychological level of 15,600. Weak global markets added to the nervous sentiment on the Dalal Street. Asian stocks widened their losses as investor sentiment dampened further amid growing fears that the spreading Delta variant of the coronavirus would harm the global economic recovery, sending riskier assets skidding sharply. The Sensex ended 355 points lower at 52,198.51 and Nifty 50 index fell 120 points or 0.76 per cent to close at 15,632. Selling pressure was broad-based as all 11 sector gauges, barring the index of FMCG shares ended lower led by the Nifty Realty index's 2.6 per cent fall. The Nifty Bank, Private Bank, PSU Bank, Metal and Financial Services indices also fell 1.8-2.5 per cent each. Mid- and small-cap shares also witnessed selling pressure as Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 100 indexes fell 1.4 per cent each.