Sensex dips in noon trade

MUMBAI - A benchmark index of Indian equities Wednesday slipped in noon trade tracking other Asian markets, which were trading lower after China raised key interest rates.

The 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,924.02 points, was ruling at 19,875.16 points, 107.97 points or 0.54 percent down from its previous close at 19,983.13 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was slipped 0.66 percent and below the 6,000-mark and was trading at 5,987.5 points.

Broader markets were also quiet with the BSE midcap index ruling flat and the BSE smallcap index down 0.18 percent.

Healthcare, capital goods and IT stocks led the gainers, while metals, FMCG and realty were among the major losers.

Top Sensex gainers at this time were NTPC, L&T, ONGC and Tata Power.

Among losers were Sterlite Industries, Tata Steel, HDFC Bank and Bharti Airtel.

Other Asian markets fell after China decided to hike benchmark interest rates by a quarter-percentage point.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was ruling one percent lower at 23,526.82 points, while the Japanese Nikkei closed 1.65 percent down at 9,381.6 points.

The Shanghai Composite index was trading at 2,988.57, down 0.11 percent.