Sensex down 68 points on profit-booking

Mumbai: The benchmark BSE Sensex fell by over 68 points in opening trade on Wednesday due to profit-booking by investors after recent gains despite a firm trend in other Asian markets.

The 30-share barometer edged lower by 68.80 points or 0.26 percent to 25,795.67 with indices led by IT, teck, metal, oil&gas and banking leading the fall.

The index had risen 253.94 points in the last two days.

Also, the NSE Nifty was trading lower by 24.45 points or 0.31 percent at 7,813.10.

Brokers said that apart from profit-booking in recent gainers, absence of any positive cues mainly dragged the indices down but a firming trend at other Asian markets, taking lead from overnight gains at the US markets, capped losses.

In the Asian region, Hong Kong's Hang Seng was quoting higher by 0.30 percent and Shanghai Composite was up 0.06 percent higher in early trade. Japan's Nikkei was up 0.72 percent.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.04 percent higher in yesterday's trade.